Curiosity Daily Podcast: Christmas Music Psychology, Most Influential Films, Mistletoe Science

Learn about why Christmas music sounds like Christmas; the most influential films ever; and the truth behind mistletoe.

December 20, 2021

Episode Show Notes:

The stories in this episode originally aired on these dates:

Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Up

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Hacking Device, Designer Seaweed, Accent Exposure

We discuss the latest in phone hacking technology, how aquaculture may be able to help the global food crisis, and how engaging with people who speak in a foreign accent may help us retain language.

Curiosity Daily Podcast:The Myth of Man Flu, Arctic Lakes, Buzzing Bats

Let’s talk about whether “man flu” is fact or fiction, how the Arctic lakes just threw a curveball at our climate change projections, and the genius new way bats are tricking their predators.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Pee and Seagrass, Heart Sound Maps, Modified Mosquitos

Today we talk about how crystallizing human urine can help save seagrass, a new AI program that can detect early signs of heart disease, and how mosquitos can be used to vaccinate against malaria.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Flirting Cats, Walking Sharks, Preventing Cerebral Palsy

We discuss a new app that can translate a cat’s meow into human languages, how the Epaulette shark is teaching us about climate change, and a potential treatment that might prevent cerebral palsy.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Geckos & Skin Cancer, Music in Childhood, Underwater Camera

Today we discuss the connection between skin cancer and a leopard gecko named Mr. Frosty, how playing a musical instrument in childhood can affect brain function as we age, and how a new underwater camera can help us explore previously-unseen parts of the ocean.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: The Most Influential Film Ever, Your Memory on Riding A Bike, and Mistletoe’s Poisonous Roots

Learn what scientists say was the most influential film of all time; the special way riding a bike is stored in your memory; and the truth behind mistletoe, a Christmas tradition that’s actually a poisonous parasite.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Christmas Music Psychology, Rain Smell Science, Crocodile Paradox, and Pitching the NSF

Learn about why Christmas music sounds like Christmas; the Crocodile Paradox, an unsolvable dilemma that dates back to ancient Greece; what causes the smell of fresh rain; and why the National Science Foundation wants your idea for their next project.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Hostile Holiday Shopping, Why Cats Love Boxes, Beethoven’s 10th

Learn about psychological ownership; why cats love boxes; and how researchers—and AI—finished Beethoven’s 10th symphony.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Introducing If/Then

What gets you curious? Virtual experiences, celestial bodies, water worlds or maybe just the tiniest mysteries inside your brain? The endlessly curious and curiously funny, Gillian Jacobs (Community, Netflix's LOVE) and Diona Reasonover (NCIS), step off set to go on tangents with real-life astronauts, astrophysicists, science artists, mathematician-types and other really smart people that investigate what seems impossible.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: The Curiosity Podcast Wraps Up with Yoga, Volcanoes, and Meditation

Learn from some of our favorite expert guests about yoga, volcanoes, meditation, and more on this special episode of the Curiosity Podcast. You'll hear from accomplished authors and academics from past episodes, in addition to a special guest you've never heard before on the show. Plus, hear about the past, present, and future of the Curiosity Podcast.