Language encapsulates every part of a culture, from its history of ideas to the way its speakers perceive reality itself. And according to linguistics expert Arika Okrent, author of "In the Land of Invented Languages," even "made-up" languages like Klingon and Esperanto serve an important purpose. She joins the Curiosity Podcast to discuss the field of linguistics and why we say what we say.

Learn about the record-breaking glowing kitefin shark; cities’ unique microbiomes; and the true origin of the Milky Way.

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

Learn about rain on other planets; why Americans used to not use forks; and whether sleep or exercise is more important.

These mysterious insects have one of the strangest life cycles in the natural world.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you learn something new in just a few minutes:

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.

Researchers Elizabeth Sawchuk and Mary Prendergast will talk about the lessons we’ve learned from amazing new discoveries of extinct human species. Plus: learn about how dogs can be moody teenagers, too.

Learn about why popular opinion might not be as popular as you thought; a new analysis that’s debunked the blood type diet; and a pool of water in Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, that’s 2 billion years old.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

Learn how fast human lifespans are increasing; why we’ve never seen a black hole; and recent research into the “Jennifer Aniston neuron” that could help you kickstart your memory.

Learn about why there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog; why you should praise kids for their work ethic, not their smarts; and why you should never put coffee grounds in your garden.

Learn about the first physical evidence that shows how our brains store short-term memory; EndeavorRx, the first ever prescription video game; and why hummingbirds can see colors that you can’t.

Learn how fathers benefit from being involved with their newborn babies, what you can do to control your dreams with science, and why the asterisk is used for corrections.

Learn about why your eyes get puffy when you cry. You’ll also learn about the benefits of being a generalist instead of a specialist from a special guest: author David Epstein.