Curiosity Daily Podcast: The Dark Ages Weren’t Really Dark

Learn about the “smellicopter,” a drone that can smell via a live moth antenna; why the “Dark Ages” weren’t as dark as you might think; and how simple word swaps can secretly trick your brain.

February 15, 2021

Episode Show Notes:

Introducing Smellicopter: a drone that uses a live moth antenna to smell things by Grant Currin

The Dark Ages weren't all that "dark" by Steffie Drucker

The Framing Effect Shows How Simple Word Swaps Can Secretly Trick Your Brain by Ashley Hamer

Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Up

Why We Know Nothing about Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Welcome to the era of precision cosmology…where we’ve managed to very precisely measure everything we don't know about the universe.

Shark Week: The Podcast - What is the Status of Sharks in our Oceans?

In this season’s final episode, Luke welcomes Emmy-winning filmmaker and conservationist Shawn Heinrichs to discuss the state of sharks in the ocean. They go over how both legal and illegal fishing operations are decimating the ocean’s wildlife, what it’s like to have a hit put out on you for exposing criminal enterprises to the world, and whether or not NOAA’s data on “sustainable” fishing can really be trusted.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Nobel Prize Winner Richard Thaler on How Nudge Changed the World — Plus, Squirrel-Inspired Robots

Nobel Prize-winning economist Richard Thaler explains how “Nudge” has changed the world. Plus: squirrel-inspired robots!

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Earth’s Core Growing Lopsided and the Science of Gut Feelings

Learn how to tap into your “gut feeling,” which knows more than you think it does; and why Earth's core is growing lopsided.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Apes Say Hello, Life on Snowball Earth, Learn Twice as Fast

Learn about non-human animals that say hello and goodbye; life on Snowball Earth; and how to learn skills twice as fast.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Backward Letters, Dogs Detect Lies, Neutron Star Mountains

Learn about why children write letters backward; how dogs know when you’re lying to them; and mountains on neutron stars.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Monks Meditating After Death and a Marathoning Woolly Mammoth

Learn about the mystery of how Tibetan monks seem to keep meditating after death; and a woolly mammoth that walked VERY far.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Nudge Theory’s Dark Side (w/ Richard Thaler), Hybrid Fruit Science, Words for “Pirate”

Learn about how to avoid getting dragged down by “Sludge”; how hybrid fruit like plumcots are made; and pirate parlance.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Sleep Munchies, Ancient Greek Ship Found, Relationship Trick

Learn about why you eat more when you’re tired; a legendary submerged Egyptian city; and a trick for keeping the peace.

Curiosity Daily Podcast: Mass Hysteria, Why You Say “Like,” Beauty’s Moral Value

Learn about the harmful effects of the “mass hysteria” label; why you say “like”; and the link between beauty and moral worth.