Curiosity Daily Discovery

Today, you’ll learn about a revolutionary new system that can turn saltwater into drinking water with the help of the sun, how your brain chooses what memories to keep, and a super-Earth with a really dark side.  
 
Solar Drinking Water 
 
“Solar-powered technology converts saltwater into drinking water emission-free.” King’s College London. 2024.  “Flexible batch electrodialysis for low-cost solar-powered brackish water desalination.” by Wei He, et al. 2024.  “Valuing Water.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 2021.  
Forgetting Memories 
 
“How the brain chooses which memories are important enough to save and which to let fade away.” by Linda Carroll. 2024.  “Relax! It’ll boost your memory, study shows.” by Kate Kelland. 2010.  “Normal and Abnormal Sharp Wave Ripples in the Hippocampal-Entohinal Cortex System: Implications for Memory Consolidation, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.” by Zhi-Hang Zhen, et al. 2021.   
Super-Earth 
 
“This super-Earth is the first planet confirmed to have a permanent dark side.” by Joseph Howlett. 2024.  “LHS 3844 b.” NASA Exoplanet Catalog. N.d.  “Tidal Locking.” NASA. 2024. 
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Today, you’ll learn about a massive discovery of new species from the depths of the ocean, why you shouldn’t buy your brand new driver their own car, and a possible breakthrough in microchip data collection from animals.  
 
New Marine Species  
 
“Scientists Discover 100 New Marine Species in New Zealand.” by Rebecca Carballo. 2024.  “Expedition to Uncover Secrets of New Zealand’s Unexplored Bounty Trough.” Ocean Census. 2024.  “Our Mission: Enhancing Ocean Life Discovery Worldwide.” Ocean Census. 2024.  “This metal marvel collects time capsules of life from the abyss.” Marine Biodiversity Hub. 2017.   
Teen Drivers 
 
“‘Don’t buy your kids a car’: young drivers with own cars in more crashes.” by Lachlan  Gilbert. 2024.  “Young drivers’ early access to their own car and crash risk into early adulthood: Findings from DRIVE study.” by Huei-Yang Chen, et al. 2024.  “Teen Drivers.” Injury Facts. 2024.  “Young Drivers.” NHTSA. 2022.  “Teen Driver Statistics.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. 2024.   
Animal Microchips 
 
“Injectable Microchip Tracks Animal Health.” by Julianne Pepitone. 2024. “Microchips Result In Higher Rate Of Return Of Shelter Animals To Owners.” by Linda Lord. 2009.  “A Subcutaneously Injectable Implant for Multimodal Physiological Monitoring in Animals.” by Parvez Ahmmed, et al. 2024.  
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Today, you’ll learn about the potential positive power of gossip, how climate change is making zooplankton in Lake Erie confused, and a surprising connection between new school buses and student performance in school.  
 
Gossip 
 
“Can’t Stand Gossip? Let’s Talk, New Research Suggests.” by Emily C. Nunez. 2024.  “Explaining the evolution of gossip.” by Xinyue Pan, et al. 2024.  “Who Gossips and How in Everyday Life?” by Megan L. Robbins, et al. 2019.   
Zooplankton 
 
“In Lake Erie, climate change scrambles zooplankton seasonal presence.” by Tatyana Woodall. 2024.  “Zooplankton Facts.” n.a. 2024.  “Biotic and thermal drivers alter zooplankton phenology in western Lake Erie.” by Jenna Bailey & James M. Hood. 2024.   
School Bus Science 
 
“Could riding older school buses hinder student performance?” University of Michigan. 2024.  “EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program Offers $500 Million in Funding.” n.a. 2023.  “School Bus Rebate Program and Student Educational Performance Test Scores.” by Meredith Pedde, PhD, et al. 2024.   
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Today, you’ll learn about the science of getting in the groove, a newly discovered burial ground for elite medieval horses, and more evidence that coffee could help you fight off cancer.  
 
Grooving to Music 
 
“Neural dynamics of predictive timing and motor engagement in music listening.” by Arnaud Zalta, et al. 2024.  “Two Concepts of Groove: Musical Nuances, Rhythm, and Genre.” by Evan Malone. 2022.  “An expanded role for the dorsal auditory pathway in sensorimotor control and integration.” by Josef P Rauschecker. 2011.   
Horse Burial 
 
“Tudor era horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place of elite imported animals.” by Andrew Merrington. 2024.  “Horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place for elite imported animals.” n.a. 2024.   
Coffee & Cancer 
 
“Coffee drinkers have much lower risk of bowel cancer recurrence, study finds.” by Denis Campbell. 2024.  “Sixty seconds on…Coffee and cancer.” by Nigel Hawkes. 2016.  “Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality.” by Abisola M. Oyelere, et al. 2024.  “Colorectal Cancer: Facts & Figures 2020-2022.” American Cancer Society. 2020.  
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Today, you’ll learn about the pros and mostly cons of using ChatGPT in the classroom, how wild animals responded to the sudden peace and quiet of Covid, and a new contact lens that can help heal eye wounds.  
 
ChatGPT in School 
 
“Is it harmful or helpful? Examining the causes and consequences of generative AI usage among university students.” by Muhammad Abbas, et al. 2024.  “Uses and Misuses of ChatGPT by Academic Community: An Overview and Guidelines.” by Muhammad Abbas. 2023.  
Quiet Covid 
 
“Hundreds of photos show animal behaviour during COVID-19 lockdowns.” by Andrew Kurjata. 2024.  “Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape.” by A. Cole Burton, et al. 2024.  “Scientists say new epoch marked by human impact - the Anthropocene - began in 1950s.” Associate Press. 2023.  “When COVID rules kept humans home, wildlife roamed more freely, international study shows.” by Wallis Snowdon. 2023.   
Healing Contact Lens  
 
“Fabrication and Characterization of an Enzyme-Triggered, Therapeutic-Releasing Hydrogel Bandage Contact Lens Material.” by Susmita Bose, et al. 2024.  “Corneal Injury.” NIH. 2023.   
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.

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Today, you’ll learn about why our brains are getting bigger and why that’s a good thing, how the sweet songs of the reef could help save it, and an AI device that gives a voice to the voiceless.  
 
Bigger Brains  
 
“Human brains are getting larger. That may be good news for dementia risk.” UC David Health. 2024.  “Trends in Intracranial and Cerebral Volumes of Framingham Heart Study Participants Born 1930 to 1970.” by Charles DeCarli, MD, et al. 2024.  “Framingham Heart Study.” Framingham Heart Study. N.d.  “Study examines factors behind decline in dementia incidence.” NIH. 2016.   
Reef Songs 
 
“Sounds appealing - reef recordings entice coral larvae to start building.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Life Below Water.” UN. n.d.  “Status of Coral Reefs.” Reef Resilience Network. N.d.  “Soundscape enrichment increases larval settlement rates for the brooding coral Porites astreoides.” by Nadege Aoki, et al. 2024.   
AI Speech 
 
“Speaking without vocal cords, thanks to a new AI-assisted wearable device.” by Christine Wei-li Lee. 2024.  “Speaking without vocal folds using a machine-learning-assisted wearable sensing-actuation system.” by Ziyuan Che, et al. 2024.   
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. 

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