Curiosity Killed the Rat

Sibling Science

In this episode about the science of siblings, we take a close look at the popular idea that your birth order can affect your personality or who you grow up to be. Are first born children more likely to be natural leaders? Are they more neurotic, having experienced the luxury of undivided parental attention only to be “dethroned” by the birth of younger siblings? Are younger siblings more free-spirited and less conscientious? Is there any actual scientific substance to birth-order theory at all?? In our listener question we talk about cannabinoid receptors – do we still have them even if we never partake in cannabis use? We now have patreon! If you love what we do and appreciate what we make, there is now a way you can show us your appreciation financially! There is absolutely ZERO pressure, but if you have as little as $1/month you can chuck it our way to help us out and show us you appreciate all the time and effort that goes in to making this show. Find us https://www.patreon.com/curiosityrat And as always, you can follow us on Instagram or twitter @curiosityrat, or find Curiosity Killed the Rat on facebook and give us a like! Episode Sources: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/birth-order-has-little-effect-on-narrow-personality-traits.html https://www.reuters.com/article/us-intelligence-families-idUSN2138647820070622 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2156010-we-may-know-why-younger-brothers-are-more-likely-to-be-gay/ https://www.pnas.org/content/115/2/234 https://www.pnas.org/content/115/2/302?site=n_detail_link https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2005/11/10/2819545.htm https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-birth-order-affect-personality/# https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1968-08718-001?doi=1 https://www.pnas.org/content/112/46/14224 https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/112/46/14224.full.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/03/14/birth-order-doesnt-shape-personality-after-all/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656615000525 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26483461/ https://youtu.be/1YfVTCh9sXQ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797617723726 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789136/#:~:text=Endogenous%20cannabinoids%20are%20endogenous%20lipids,9%2Dtetrahydrocannabinol%3B%20THC). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-019-02389-7

Entropy (ft. Bodhi Houareau-Rose)

Have you ever wondered why your room always gets messy, no matter how much you clean it? Why you can't un-break that priceless plate you accidentally dropped? Or if there is anything we can do as individuals to prevent the inevitable heat death of the universe? In this extra long episode, Kate and Matt are joined by Bodhi to talk about entropy, life, and ethics, and how they are all more closely related than you may think. Stick around to the end for our listener question, where we find out why some people cannot stand the taste of certain foods.

Sources:

A review of the entropy concept:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322836733_Research_in_entropy_wonterland_A_review_of_the_entropy_concept

The Emperor's New Mind by Roger Penrose

https://www.audible.com.au/pd/The-Emperors-New-Mind-Audiobook/1515943836

How to build a Dyson swarm

https://youtu.be/pP44EPBMb8A

How life hacks entropy

https://youtu.be/a_BKQ_ZPImw

Natural loopholes in entropy

https://youtu.be/CfHysNgRy7c

Life and Energy

https://youtu.be/QImCld9YubE

The Great filters of advanced civilisations (the prerequisites)

https://youtu.be/UjtOGPJ0URM

If you want to hear more from Bodhi, check out his online course, now live at:

https://virtual.theangelsschool.com/courses/diversity-and-similarities/

You can also find us on social media, with the handle @curiosityrat on Instagram and twitter, or our Facebook page Curiosity Killed the Rat.

Listener Q Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279408/

https://www.nature.com/news/soapy-taste-of-coriander-linked-to-genetic-variants-1.11398

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3009759/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929707618904

Antartica (ft. Dr Jen Martin)

This episode, Kate and Matt are joined by legendary science communicator Dr Jen Martin to chat all about her experiences when she visited the coldest, driest, most remote continent on earth: Antarctica. Jen went to Antarctica as a staff member for Homeward Bound (a global leadership program for women in STEMM) and consequently was involved in the (so far) largest women-only expedition to Antarctica. But what kind of temperatures are we talking about? Is climate-change-in-action super clear from Antarctica? What is it like to actually BE there?! Jen, being an ecologist in training, also chats to us about some of the amazing wildlife: penguins, seals, and orcas, oh my!

If you loved when Jen had to say you can read her piece called Listening to Antarctica here:

https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/news-articles/listening-to-antarctica-a-guided-tour-with-dr-jen

You can also find more of her on Twitter or Instagram @scidocjen

You can also find us on social media, with the handle @curiosityrat on Instagram and twitter, or our Facebook page Curiosity Killed the Rat.

Listener Q Sources:

https://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/146669

https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/dose-makes-poison-gallery/#:~:text=Nearly%20500%20years%20ago%2C%20Swiss,that%20contains%20toxic%20properties%20can

https://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/schools/chemrev/projects/peroxide/

https://pmj.bmj.com/content/79/933/391

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What-happens-to-poison-when-it-has-reached-its-expiry-date-more-poisonous-or-less-poisonous

Vaccines (ft. Catriona Nguyen-Robertson)

Joined by our resident immunologist Catriona Nguyen-Robertson, Kate and Matt chat all about Vaccines! How and why do vaccines work to protect us against disease? What happens in the body in response to receiving a vaccine, and how does this help? What are some of the different types of vaccines? And what about the COVID-19 vaccines? Are they safe? Why were they ready so quickly? And why are they an example of some very clever science in action!? This episode’s listener question is about cheese – why does it taste better melted!?

If you enjoyed what Cat had to say today and want to find more of her you can find her on Twitter (@CatrionaNR), Instagram (@nyuroscientist), and YouTube (Nyuroscientist). And, as always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com

References:

https://www.health.gov.au/node/18777/australias-vaccine-agreements#covax-facility

https://youtu.be/9pS1CzzExJ8

https://youtu.be/4SKmAlQtAj8

https://youtu.be/KMc3vL_MIeo

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00594/full#h5

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-020-0159-8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3597572/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6631684/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01012/full

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22549871/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1074761305002116

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5987916/

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.08.280818v1.abstract

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439223/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7554980/

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-understand-color-office.pdf

https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/learn-about-covid-19-vaccines/about-the-oxfordastrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine

Crying

Why do our eyes leak when we feel emotions, chop onions, or get poked in the eye? Do these scenarios lead to the creation of different types of tears? How are tears created? WHY? This episode, Kate and Matt delve into all these questions and so many more, as we chat all about crying. We also tackle a listener question about sweating – why do our palms sweat when we get nervous?

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4035568/

https://athenaeum.libs.uga.edu/handle/10724/36619

https://psych-neuro.com/2014/03/14/the-biochemecial-purpose-of-crying/

https://scienceblogs.com/observations/2011/01/08/why-do-women-cry-obviously-its

https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/crying.htm

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01240/full

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29888936/

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-87337-001

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/dev.22058

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.1623

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/6/e20192719

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-66680-001

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/29/4/579.short

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02134/full

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4062644/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1069397111404519

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01240/full

Love

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Kate and Matt spend this episode talking about the science of love. What is love? Can science explain all those feelings you get when you fall in love with somebody? Breaking love down into the three phases of Lust / Attraction / Attachment, we delve into some of the neuroscience and biochemistry responsible for love. We also answer a listener question about plants and grow lights… how do they work?

Episode sources:

http://www2.webmatic.it/workO/s/113/pr-457-file_it-Journal%20of%20Molecular%20Evolution%2057.pdf

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01614576.2000.11074334

http://helenfisher.com/downloads/articles/10lustattraction.pdf

https://www.nature.com/articles/457148a

https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/hawksites.newpaltz.edu/dist/e/1777/files/2017/01/Intro-to-WGSS_SP19_2.1_Bauer-1fe4t5h.pdf

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/science-features/science-love-cupids-chemistry

https://www.ckn.org.au/content/cupid%E2%80%99s-chemical-addiction-%E2%80%93-science-love

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-attraction-companionship/

https://igworks.com/blogs/the-igworks-indoor-gardening-blog/the-science-of-plant-lighting-and-led-grow-lights

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/489030

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwwLSgK-924&t=33s&ab_channel=MIGRO

Perpetual Motion Machines

Welcome back, folks, to another season of Curiosity Killed the Rat! This episode, Kate and Matt chat about the idea of perpetual motion, and the amazing machines designed to harness this motion to keep moving… forever! From overbalanced wheels to self-refilling flasks, we take a dive into some of the coolest perpetual motion machines that have been theorised throughout history (…or claimed to be real on YouTube…) and why, realistically, they couldn’t possibly work. This episode’s listener question is about sunsets; why are more spectacular than others?

Referenced CollegeHumor sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFtrn4vvTkk&ab_channel=CollegeHumor

Fake Perpetual Motion Machines:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znk-_uskTvk&ab_channel=Sm00thand3r

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Aag0J0Qe4&ab_channel=warmcoffee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsxroTt9IhY&t=36s&ab_channel=veproject1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANq1DEmoYbI&ab_channel=TechnicalNinja

https://youtu.be/sScrtGdKmho

Other References:

https://www.britannica.com/science/perpetual-motion

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/perpetual-motion-machines/

https://lockhaven.edu/~dsimanek/museum/overbal.htm

https://www.livescience.com/55944-perpetual-motion-machines.html

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cellular-energetics/cellular-energy/a/the-laws-of-thermodynamics

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/water-acids-and-bases/cohesion-and-adhesion/a/cohesion-and-adhesion-in-water

https://youtu.be/A-QgGXbDyR0

https://youtu.be/rckrnYw5sOA

https://youtu.be/UFFzcYalTXI

https://youtu.be/VpiLucwH-AQ

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108135522.htm

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/11/22/20970563/sunset-science-explained-rayleigh-scattering

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atmos/blusky.html

Ghosts (ft. Rosie Arnold)

In a truly spooktacular Halloween special to round out season 1, Kate and Matt are joined by Rosie Arnold to chat about ghosts! Have you ever wondered about the explanations scientists have for ghostly encounters? As Rosie breaks down some theories of human perception, we chat about how humans experience the world and why some humans might feel/ hear/ or even see ghosts. Our listener question keeps us in the spirit… spirit, as we try answer the question: Do EMF meters measure ghost energy?

If you loved what Rosie had to say you can find more of her on twitter (https://twitter.com/nutrineurosie; https://twitter.com/UniMelbscicomm) ! As always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to curiosityrat@gmail.com

Catch you in the new year!

References:

https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/jnp.13.4.515?fbclid=IwAR3uoq9k586BynO8b9HkuY8S88xBSQQABx0cwhHYK3B2PhqmXa8ighwVdkc&

http://www.skepdic.com/infrasound.html

https://www.strangerdimensions.com/2013/06/21/infrasound-the-fear-frequency/

https://web.archive.org/web/20110929142806/http://www.psy.herts.ac.uk/ghost/Something-in-the-Cellar.pdf

https://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/

http://www.assap.ac.uk/newsite/htmlfiles/MADS%20haunted%20bed.html

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/index.cfm

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-certain-frequencies/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891061815000599

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.2001.92.1.35

https://www.livescience.com/4261-shady-science-ghost-hunting.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/the-broken-technology-of-ghost-hunting/506627/

SciComm (ft. Steph Brown, Cat Thompson, & Wayne Du)

We have an exciting episode this week feature not one, not two, but THREE awesome guests from the Science Communication program at Unimelb, ready to chat all about some awesome science! Steph teaches us about aquatic apes and tiny bones in our ears. Cat leads us through the solving of the mystery in the link between vultures, rabies, and Voltaren. Wayne chats about how different animals can camouflage... by changing their smell!

Kate then tackle’s this week’s listener question all about IV vitamin treatments… is there science behind the hype?

If you loved what our guests had to say you can find Steph (https://twitter.com/ohstephbrown), Cat (https://twitter.com/cat_thomson_), and Wayne (https://twitter.com/WayneDu8) on twitter! As always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to curiosityrat@gmail.com

References:

https://www.the-scientist.com/reading-frames/did-human-evolution-include-a-semi-aquatic-phase--67306

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyQFDp1KbbY&ab_channel=PeterRhys-Evans

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5696936/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07v0hhm

https://theconversation.com/sorry-david-attenborough-we-didnt-evolve-from-aquatic-apes-heres-why-65570

https://assets.peregrinefund.org/docs/pdf/research-library/2011/2011-Ogada-vultures.pdf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092180090800178X

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-vanishing-145631290/

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2014.1887

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2007.1421

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003347207004277

http://www.altmedrev.com/archive/publications/7/5/389.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894814/

https://www.sciencealert.com/no-vitamin-drips-like-many-other-miracle-cures-do-not-work

Lasers (ft. Kaih Mitchell)

In this episode, Kate and Matt are joined by physicist Kaih Mitchell to discuss all things Lasers. What is a Laser beam? How are different colour lasers made? How powerful and deadly can they be?

This week's listener question takes a look at how habits are formed and what a person can do to overcome them.

Find more of Kaih Mitchell on Radio SciLense every Saturday at 4pm AEST at Radio Fodder: http://radiofodder.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RadioSciLens?s=20

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/radioscilens