Curiosity Weekly

It might sound like a wacky treatment, but recently, the fecal microbiota transplant has emerged as an effective way to help reshape our gut microbiomes. There are a lot of ideas on how to use this emerging therapy, so to help us sort through the misinformation, we are joined by author and general surgeon, Dr. James Kinross. Before that, Sam digs into a bizarre question: why do humans have chins? And later, a new study reveals how heroic beavers are when it comes to combatting climate change.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

Artificial Intelligence has seemingly taken over every industry and headline in the past year, making it hard to keep up with advances in the technology. And things are evolving quickly, particularly in medicine. Here to help us understand where AI can help and hinder processes in the medical industry is Dr. Nina Kottler, a radiologist and AI expert. Before that, we explore a new study detailing some surprising findings in koala population genetics and later, Sam looks into research on how other people’s opinions shape our own experiences.  Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

Recent studies based on raccoons ability to solve puzzles taught researchers a lot about a raccoon’s desire to learn their environment. Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks to Dr. Ben Rein about his new book, “Why Brains Need Friends,” and learns all about the neurological benefits of friendship and the power of socializing. And finally, adorable microscopic organisms called tardigrades might be showing us the way to slow DNA damage.  Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

Scientific testing on animals has existed for hundreds of years and is considered a controversial element of how modern research is done. To discuss the past, present, and future of animal testing, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by veterinarian and bioethicist Dr. Lisa Moses. Sam also looks at a new study exploring an alternative treatment to sleep apnea and one that looks into how people living at high altitudes can provide inspiration for diabetes medication.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

As reliance on digital technology increases, there are plenty of people who are rejecting their screens and moving back to physical devices and experiences. The analog movement isn’t just a social media trend, there’s real science backing the potential psychological benefits of being offline. Here to discuss how our digital habits affect us is Dr. Natalia Khodayari, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine also looks into a new study that solved the mystery of how horses whinny and a paper on the effects of dim lighting on our eyes.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

 These days, discovering a new species of dinosaur looks a lot different than it does in the movies. Technology enables paleontologists to search for dino bones with care and precision. Here to discuss his recent discovery of the Spinosaurus mirabilis is Dr. Paul Sereno. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also looks into Humanity’s Last Exam which is a test designed for AI to fail and a study that shows how repeated exercise rewires our brains.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

The brain is a complex and adaptable organ; one that can be transformed by a multitude of external factors. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine investigates the ways the brain can be altered from the outside in. First, she looks into new research on the brain’s response to consistent meditation practice. Then, she sits down with Dr. Ishrat Husain to discuss the efficacy of psychedelics in medical settings on mental health. And lastly, she digs into how modern football helmets utilize science and engineering to better protect the brain from concussions.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. 

The trees are talking about us… but not the way you think. Almost thirty years ago, Dr. Suzanne Simard discovered a vast network of fungal threads beneath the forest floor that functions as a complex communication network. This episode, Dr. Simard joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss how trees connect with one another and how that discovery changed the way we think about forest ecosystems. Sam also looks into an Austrian cow who’s learned how to use tools and a new study that claims to be able to regrow cartilage.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.