Curiosity Daily Podcast: Why Is Static Worse in Winter?
Learn about why sensitive questions won’t make conversations as uncomfortable as you think; why static is worse in winter than in summer; and the “umami synergy” behind why bacon and eggs go together so well.
January 22, 2021
Episode Show Notes:
Sensitive questions won't make conversations as uncomfortable as you think by Kelsey Donk
- The Case for Asking Sensitive Questions. (2020, November 24). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/11/the-case-for-asking-sensitive-questions
- Hart, E., VanEpps, E. M., & Schweitzer, M. E. The (better than expected) consequences of asking sensitive questions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 162, 136-154. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597820304003
Why is static worse in winter than summer? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Sandy)
- Static electricity strengthens desert dust storms. (2016, July 8). Static electricity strengthens desert dust storms. Science | AAAS. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/07/static-electricity-strengthens-desert-dust-storms
- Curtis, A. (2017). FAQ - health - static electricity | Las Vegas Advisor. lasvegasadvisor.com; Las Vegas Advisor. https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/faq-health-static-electricity/
- Hamer, A. (2019, August). Here’s Why Static Shock Is Worse in Winter. Discovery; Discovery. https://www.discovery.com/science/Heres-Why-Static-Shock-Is-Worse-Winter
- Castañon, K. (2016, January 25). These Hat Hair Solutions Will Change Your Winter. Shape; Shape. https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/these-hat-hair-solutions-will-change-your-winter
Why do bacon & eggs just go together? Meet umami synergy by Cameron Duke
- Jake. (2015, March). Ramen Chemistry. Ramen Chemistry. http://www.ramenchemistry.com/blog/2015/2/18/umami-science-part-iii-umami-synergy
- Mouritsen, O. G., Klavs Styrbaek, Johansen, M., & Jonas Drotner Mouritsen. (2014). Umami : unlocking the secrets of the fifth taste. Columbia University Press.
- Schmidt, C. V., Olsen, K., & Mouritsen, O. G. (2020). Umami synergy as the scientific principle behind taste-pairing champagne and oysters. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77107-w
- The timeless, complimentary taste of oysters and champagne—explained. (2020, November 18). Science.Ku.Dk; University of Copenhagen. https://www.science.ku.dk/english/press/news/2020/the-timeless-complimentary-taste-of-oysters-and-champagneexplained/
- Zareian, M., Ebrahimpour, A., Bakar, F. A., Mohamed, A. K. S., Forghani, B., Ab-Kadir, M. S. B., & Saari, N. (2012). A Glutamic Acid-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Malaysian Fermented Foods. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 13(5), 5482–5497. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms13055482
- Put The Science Of Umami To Work For You. (2015). Popular Science. https://www.popsci.com/hidden-secrets-umami/
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
Shark Week: The Podcast - How To Have A Career in Shark Science
Shark Week’s Luke Tipple tackles the question “How can I work with sharks?” alongside two experts in the field – and their answers are not always the obvious ones. Luke is joined first by Kelly Link, Associate Curator of the Georgia Aquarium who talks about what it’s like to be an aquarist, how it differs from field work, and how to get yourself noticed. The second guest is Dr. Neil Hammerschlag who goes into detail on what it takes to become a prominent scientist, and what other paths you can take if a PhD isn’t for you. And at the end, researcher Sierra stops by to tell us about the world’s smallest shark.
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: Does ESP Exist?
Learn about ESP; why people panicked about electricity in the 1800s; and how embryos use sound to prepare for the world.
Curiosity Daily Podcast: Explorers Club - Steve Elkins
Today, we’re hearing from an explorer and filmmaker named Steve Elkins. Steve spent decades searching for a legendary lost city deep in the jungles of Honduras. His search for the city was documented in the New York Times best-selling book, “The Lost City of the Monkey God,” by Douglas Preston.
Curiosity Daily Podcast: Explorers Club - Sian Proctor
Today, we are lucky enough to hear from a highly accomplished explorer who has some incredible experiences to share with us. Dr. Sian Proctor was the mission pilot for the Inspiration4, which is the all-civilian orbital mission to space and she’s the first African American woman to pilot a spacecraft. She also lived in a Mars analog environment to simulate what it might be like to live on the red planet.
Curiosity Daily Podcast: Do Turkeys Really Drown in Rainstorms?
Neil Shubin is back to talk about the viruses lurking in your DNA. You’ll also learn about whether it’s true that turkeys are so dumb that they drown in rainstorms, and why domineering people don't rise through the ranks any faster.
Curiosity Daily Podcast: Has the Earth Lost Weight?
Learn about a new computer model that may have gotten us closer to figuring out how we choose our mates; why Meno’s paradox says you can’t ever learn anything new; and whether the Earth weighs the same as it did billions of years ago.
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 Right Way to Set Goals
Learn about how the coronavirus pandemic may have changed Americans’ attitudes about the poor; how you can relieve stress by learning something new; and a trick for setting goals to help you achieve what you want.
Curiosity Daily Podcast: What Came Before the Big Bang?
Learn about how hoarders’ brains see their belongings; why dolphins consciously lower their heart rates; and what scientists think happened before the big bang.