Learn about microvacations, a trick for actually using your vacation days even when you’re super busy; the science behind why darkness is actually faster than the speed of light; and why sand is one of the most valuable resources in human civilization — and why we’re running out of it — with some help from Vince Beiser, author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.”

Matt Simon, author of “Plight of the Living Dead,” discusses real-life zombification in nature. Plus, learn about the most annoying sounds ever, according to research, and why leaders who are too smart are actually less effective.

Learn about why the sunlight you feel might be 50 million years old; learn about the Undiagnosed Diseases Network that has diagnosed hundreds of people with previously undiagnosable diseases; and the closest thing scientists have found to a “universal word.”

Learn why a Prince Rupert’s drop is both super-fragile and virtually unbreakable; why researchers think newborn babies are a lot smarter than they look; and why Earth’s core is younger than its surface.

Learn where you can catch the Taurids and Leonids meteor showers this month; how working out could boost your willpower; and where the world’s billionaires got their fortunes.

Learn why there’s no such thing as “normal” according to Yale researchers; how scientists may have put bacteria in a state of quantum entanglement; why a thing called déjà rêvé might be weirder than déjà vu, and why your sweat might smell like maple syrup.

Learn about the man who invented the scientific method; the story of America’s first beach; and how many faces the average person can recognize.

Learn about Benjamin Banneker, an African-American polymath you need to know about; the Seinfeld Strategy for improving your productivity; and how an MIT student wants to contact aliens with a massive laser beam. Plus: professional wrestler Chris Jericho keeps coming up in conversation, thanks to one of the hosts who will remain unnamed.

Learn how dandelions taught researchers a new way of flying that was previously unknown to science. Then, learn how a happy marriage can make you physically healthier. You’ll also learn about curiosity in the workplace — and some of the unseen benefits of your own curiosity — from INSEAD Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour Spencer Harrison.

Learn how you experience the quantum world every day whenever you see or touch something; the one thing you should keep in mind if you want to make a great first impression; the next common English word that researchers say is going to go extinct; and how to interpret food expiration dates.

Learn about what it looks like when galaxies collide with one another; how to measure how sleepy you are using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale; and how much damage space junk the size of a pencil eraser can do.

Learn how ADHD could make you more creative, and how to boost your productivity by scheduling your week with the Arrow Method. Plus, Mike Wall, author of “Out There: A Scientific Guide to Alien Life, Antimatter, and Human Space Travel (For the Cosmically Curious),” explains why we may have already found aliens.

Learn about how many megapixels your eye can see; some of the coolest airport activities you can find during your next layover; and the research-backed WOOP method for working toward and achieving your goals.

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 the evolutionary reason why you listen to some songs on repeat; the morning routines of high-income earners; and how you can boost your Wi-Fi signal with aluminum foil.