Learn about what the first cities looked like — and why humans built them — from author Monica L. Smith, an archaeologist and professor in the department of anthropology at UCLA. Then, learn what makes pedestrians run into each other.

Learn why you should think twice before using Adderall as a study tool; 3 things gym class got wrong; and the healthiest number of cups of coffee to drink per day, according to a huge umbrella review.

Renowned science communicator, entrepreneur, and author Hank Green discusses his debut novel, “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.” In this special episode of Curiosity Daily, he talks about his writing process, how he approached writing a novel from the perspective of a young woman, some of the themes of the book, and what it was like writing a book as a citizen of the Internet. Plus: get the exclusive scoop on what this book has to do with being a pet detective!

Learn how you can grow a garden in "regolith" Martian soil; how to stop spending too much money on frivolous purchases; and a memory technique you can use to remember pretty much everything.

Learn what causes that fresh rain smell; how astronauts can actually see cosmic rays; and a trick you can use to stop procrastinating called the “frog rule.”

Learn what personality traits it takes to survive a disaster, and why chickenpox is so much worse for adults. Plus, special guest Natalia Reagan answers the question: if we evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?

Learn about the world’s first all-female expedition to the North Pole; where humans rank on the food chain; and why you should take a science-backed quiz to help you measure your meaning in life.

Learn a 5-minute hack for beating procrastination from Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom; why spiders are good for your home, and the most humane way to get rid of them; and a primer on a few philosophical disciplines to get you started in the world of philosophy.

Learn which is more important, sleep or exercise; why you’ve never seen a picture of the whole Milky Way; a trick for falling asleep any time, anywhere, with a military-tested trick; and why your voice sounds different when you hear a recording of yourself.

Learn about the impact of keeping employees available 24/7; a theologian who made plans to go to the moon in the 1600s; and new research into how being hungover can be just as dangerous as being drunk.

Learn about what we discovered when astronomers watched a star turn directly into a black hole; new science into how much your genes determine your athleticism; why some materials shouldn’t go in the microwave; and one of the strangest places in the country: the House on the Rock.

Learn about how researchers study how we mentally represent our relationships with special guest Vivian Zayas, Director of the Personality, Attachment, and Control Laboratory at Cornell University. Plus, learn about a regimen you can follow to help you pursue your passion — despite your day job.

Learn about new sustainability rules that could help us cut space debris; why you shouldn’t blow your nose when you have a cold; and why you unconsciously copy other people’s mannerisms.

Learn about Mary Anning, the famed female fossil hunter history almost forgot; why sad people seek out sad music; and how you can get your air-dried laundry as soft as your machine-dried laundry.

Learn about potential drawbacks to life hacking from Professor Joseph M. Reagle Jr., author of the new book “Hacking Life: Systematized Living and Its Discontents.” You’ll also learn why your fingers get pruney when they’re soaked in water.