Learn about how social connection may be as basic of a human need as hunger; the ongoing scientific debate around how ice skating actually works; and the Uberman sleep cycle, a polyphasic sleep schedule that was allegedly used by Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla.

Learn about how to avoid conflict at family meals, and why high heels were originally meant for men. Plus, get some tips on how to host and be a polite guest from etiquette expert Jihan Murray-Smith — just in time for the holidays!

Learn about what starquakes can tell us about our universe; why quitting is underrated; and the truth behind some of the most-Googled scientific misconceptions.

Learn about why the Big Five personality traits may not be reliable in developing countries; why Brazil's Ilha da Queimada Grande island is full of outrageously venomous snakes; and why wounds in your mouth heal so quickly.

Learn about a robotic “third thumb”; how measuring time increases entropy; and how to distinguish friends from foes.

Learn why fish never quit wiggling; how a donut-shaped planet is technically possible; what researchers have learned from “S.M.,” the woman who can’t feel fear; and why you can touch aluminum foil in a hot oven.

The mind-body connection is stronger than you think.

Learn about why Wolf-Rayet stars are the brightest stars in the sky; why immune cells in your brain may have started out in your gut; and the history of why we can thank Grace Hopper for calling computer glitches “bugs.”

Learn about how researchers could tap into a tardigrade superpower to protect medicines and vaccines; the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives where you can dine with the fishes; and whether “breaking the seal” is a real thing when you’re drinking.

Learn about how the universe’s rate of expansion could change our understanding of physics; how the saliva in your body changes to enjoy bitter flavors; and the biggest factors that determine how much you pay for a flight, along with some tips on finding the cheapest airplane tickets.

Learn about new research into how social anxiety works in the brain; how scientists developed the first synthetic self-replicating genome; and the adorable sounds penguins make underwater.

Learn about a newly discovered way to cut down on intrusive thoughts; why wombats poop cubes; and why UPS trucks almost never make left turns.

Learn about the time pirates stopped the US from switching to the metric system; and new learnings about Mars’ interior.

Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories to help you learn something new in just a few minutes:

Learn about why people protest and riot, according to social psychology; and how scientists stimulated the brains of blind people to make them “see” shapes. Then, test your knowledge with this month’s edition of the Curiosity Challenge.