Podcast
Unqualified Curiosity
Hosted by qsmith1713 · EN
A weekly dive into the news surrounding science.
10episodes
Episodes
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Episode 28: What Exactly Makes and Expert?
Dec 2601:19:31Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the (more) regularly scheduled programming! This week, we take a deeper dive than usual into what (at least partially) makes up an expert. What are the differences between the novices and experts on the cognitive scale? How do we best go about developing our skills to become experts in our passions? And how to tap into the coveted benefits of expertise like the flow state, creativity, and high productivity? This one was really fun to look into, and there is certainly a lot more to learn about this topic! With that said, I tried to present the most actionable items I could find in the literature to best enhance your learning and development. Thanks for listening and stay curious! Following are the citations for this episode: Chunking and Template Theory: Thought and Choice in Chess - Adriaan D. de Groot - Google Books Perception in chess - ScienceDirect Templates in Chess Memory: A Mechanism for Recalling Several Boards - ScienceDirect Expertise in complex decision making: the role of search in chess 70 years after de Groot - PubMed Chunks in expert memory: evidence for the magical number four ... or is it two? - PubMed Classics in the History of Psychology -- Miller (1956) Replication and Analysis of Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve - PMC Automaticity, Flow, and Creativity: Brain Scans of Jazz Musicians Reveal How to Reach a Creative ‘Flow State’ | Scientific American A Review on the Role of the Neuroscience of Flow States in the Modern World - PMC How Brain Efficiency Facilitates Flow State Experiences | Psychology Today Flow State Mastery: Minimizing Cognitive Friction - Liminary Frontiers | A Scoping Review of Flow Research Physiological assessment of the psychological flow state using wearable devices | Scientific Reports EEG-based functional connectivity patterns during boredom in an educational context | Scientific Reports Turning on Flow Means Turning Off Parts of the Brain (PDF) Neural Mechanisms and Benefits of Flow: A Meta Analysis
Transcribe →Is the Future Nuclear? A Chat with Jonathan Iwasczyszyn
Dec 901:31:58Tap to summarizeAfter a too-long hiatus, we are officially back! Uploads will be a little sporadic for a little bit, but I am hoping to get back to some semblance of a schedule in the new year. Today, we have the pleasure of listening to a conversation with the writer of The Future is Nuclear, Jonathan Iwasczyszyn! A classic dive into the joys and wonders of nuclear energy and its current hurdles that we have yet to overcome. If you found this episode interesting, make sure to subscribe to The Future is Nuclear at The Future is Nuclear | Jonathan Iwasczyszyn | Substack!
Transcribe →Episode 26: A Conversation With Dr. Eric Ravussin
Jun 8, 202501:11:23Tap to summarizeWelcome back, you curious folk! Was getting lots of requests to branch out to interviews outside of Virginia Tech (just kidding, I got none). Thus, backed by popular demand (technically the case), I present the first external to Virginia Tech interview! Today, we get to listen in on a conversation with Dr. Eric Ravussin. A world-renowned metabolic researcher known for his contributions to our understanding of the human metabolism, diabetes, and calorie restriction. It would be a lengthy list if I were to enumerate all his accomplishments, but Dr. Ravussin has contributed to the development of the first human respiratory chamber in North America, utilized doubly labeled water to determine the total daily energy expenditure of humans, and has recently conducted profound investigations into the impacts of calorie restriction. That just catches the surface of his impactful work, much of which he elaborates on in the episode. Thanks for listening and stay curious!
Transcribe →Episode 25: A Conversation with Dr. Daniel Crawford
May 20, 202501:38:58Tap to summarizeWe're finally back with the 25th episode. After a long hiatus battling with my finals, I got the opportunity to interview a professor of mine. Dr. Crawford is a theoretical chemist working on the generation of computational models to describe complex, chiral molecules. Not only that, he is extremely passionate about teaching, which shows through his work. We got the opportunity to talk about his research and teaching life, and how he balances all that with life as well. I am hoping to keep up the interviews, but I am also in Baton Rouge and limited on time. In any case, please reach out if you know anyone who could be cool to talk to :).
Transcribe →Episode 24: Metabolic Impacts of Sleep and Transparent Cardboard
Apr 14, 202500:35:31Tap to summarizeThe double dozen has been reached! Tune in next week for the quarter century. This week, we learn about the importance of sleep for high-level cognitive function and memory development. After that, a look into the jack-of-all-trades cardboard product that is transparent and biodegradable and can hold boiling water, quite the resume for some cardboard. As always (got it right this time, Nathan,) thanks for listening, and stay curious! Citations Follow: Sleep Loss as a Metabolic Disorder: Sleep loss is a metabolic disorder | Science Signaling Metabolic Disorders: Symptoms & Causes | NewYork-Presbyterian The Role of Astrocytes in the Central Nervous System Focused on BK Channel and Heme Oxygenase Metabolites: A Review - PMC Astrocytes: The Unsung Heroes of Learning and Memory - Neuroscience News Connecting insufficient sleep and insomnia with metabolic dysfunction - PMC [2301.09565] Estimating the energy requirements for long term memory formation Estimating the energy requirements for long term memory formation Is plasticity of synapses the mechanism of long-term memory storage? | npj Science of Learning UI neuroscientists identify mechanism for long term memory storage | Carver College of Medicine Glucose enhancement of human memory: A comprehensive research review of the glucose memory facilitation effect - ScienceDirect Upregulated energy metabolism in the Drosophila mushroom body is the trigger for long-term memory | Nature Communications Astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation - PMC Metabolism - Wikipedia Transparent Cardboard Fully circular shapable transparent paperboard with closed-loop recyclability and marine biodegradability across shallow to deep sea Eco-Friendly Polymers: The 2025 Shift to Biodegradable Plastics The Advances of Plastic Sustainability: 5 Trends to Watch in 2025 How Long Does It Take for Plastic to Decompose? | Chariot Energy How long for biodegradable plastic to decompose? - BioBottles™ Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life Throughout the Ocean | The Pew Charitable Trusts Plastic pollution in the marine environment - PMC Fully circular shapable transparent paperboard with closed-loop recyclability and marine biodegradability across shallow to deep sea - PMC Discover Paperboard: Types, Uses, And Manufacturing Process Hazy Transparent Cellulose Nanopaper | Scientific Reports Biobased Biodegradable Plastics Market Outlook, 2025 to 2035 100+ Plastic in the Ocean Statistics & Facts 2025 How does plastic pollution affect marine life? | Fauna & Flora
Transcribe →Episode 23: Brain Computer Interface Improvements and Making Humans Mosquito Repellant
Apr 7, 202500:32:19Tap to summarizeHappy Monday, everyone. This week, we learn about the improvements in the speech-related applications of brain-computer interfaces. An impressive decrease of over 100% for the response time needed has made these devices much more practically useful. After that, we learn how a completely unrelated drug for a rare metabolic disease can be used to make human blood poisonous to mosquitos. As always, thanks for listening, and stay curious! Citations Follow: Brain Computer Interfaces: Brain implant translates thoughts to speech in an instant A streaming brain-to-voice neuroprosthesis to restore naturalistic communication | Nature Neuroscience A high-performance neuroprosthesis for speech decoding and avatar control | Nature Brain-reading device is best yet at decoding ‘internal speech’ Brain Waves to Voice: Revolutionary Technology Gives Speech to the Speechless Brain-to-Voice AI Streams Natural Speech for People with Paralysis - Neuroscience News Ai-powered system enables real-time speech generation for paralyzed individuals Harnessing Recent Online Data to Improve Brain-Computer Interface Operation Clinical Applications of Brain-Computer Interfaces: Current State and Future Prospects - PMC The future of brain–computer interfaces in medicine Harnessing Recent Online Data to Improve Brain-Computer Interface Operation Harnessing Recent Online Data to Improve Brain-Computer Interface Operation Brain–computer interface - Wikipedia Frontiers | The Use of Brain–Computer Interfaces in Games Is Not Ready for the General Public Researchers use BCIs to restore speech in people with paralysis Brain-to-Voice AI Streams Natural Speech for People with Paralysis - Neuroscience News Are Alexa And Siri Considered AI? | OpenGrowth | OpenGrowth Internal Mosquito Repellant: Anopheles mosquito survival and pharmacokinetic modeling show the mosquitocidal activity of nitisinone | Science Translational Medicine Nitisinone - Wikipedia 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase - Wikipedia Tyrosinemia - Wikipedia Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison : ScienceAlert Fighting the World's Deadliest Animal | Global Health | CDC 10 Mosquito Facts in Honor of World Mosquito Day | RTI Vector-borne Diseases - American Mosquito Control Association Vector-borne Diseases - American Mosquito Control Association Declining malaria, rising of dengue and Zika virus: insights for mosquito vector control - PubMed What Purposes Do Mosquitoes Serve in Ecosystems? | Britannica Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison : ScienceAlert Malaria parasite life cycle | Malaria Vaccines Nitisinone Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term Mosquito Killer: A New Approach to Control Plasmodium falciparum - Wikipedia Vector-borne diseases
Transcribe →Episode 22: Using Stem Cells to Treat Paralysis and The Discovery of Novel Antibiotics
Mar 31, 202500:32:54Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the traditional format today with no more money and politics involved. I know you are sad but that's ok, I'm not. Today, we learn about some progress in the treatment of Grade A spinal cord injuries through induced pluripotent stem cell therapy. After that, it's all about antibiotic-resistant bacteria resistant antibiotics, which is my new favorite pallandrome. Thanks for listening, and stay curious! Citations follow: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Treat Paralysis: Paralysed man stands again after receiving ‘reprogrammed’ stem cells ‘Reprogrammed’ stem cells to treat spinal-cord injuries for the first time Spine Sustained delivery of neurotrophic factors to treat spinal cord injury Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Potential for Basic and Clinical Sciences - PMC Cell therapy for spinal cord injury using induced pluripotent stem cells - PMC Reprogramming methods and efficiency analysis of iPSCs - BOC Sciences Differentiation and characterization of neural progenitors and neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells - PMC Characterizing Natural Recovery after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury | Journal of Neurotrauma Stem Cell-Based Approaches for Spinal Cord Injury: The Promise of iPSCs Induced pluripotent stem cells: applications in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery - PMC iPSC Application - Creative Biolabs Cell therapy for spinal cord injury using induced pluripotent stem cells - PMC Differentiation and characterization of neural progenitors and neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells - PMC When Fibroblasts MET iPSCs: Cell Stem Cell Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells - PubMed Japanese scientists use stem cell treatment to restore movement in spinal injury patients Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Resistant Antibiotic Discovery: New antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria discovered in technician’s garden Lasso-shaped molecule is a new type of broad-spectrum antibiotic Scientists Discover A Potential Game Changer in Fighting Drug-Resistant Bacteria | Health and Me The natural history of antibiotics - PMC Frontiers | Synergistic action of antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics: current understanding and future directions Towards the sustainable discovery and development of new antibiotics | Nature Reviews Chemistry A Broad Spectrum Lasso Peptide Antibiotic Targeting the Bacterial Ribosome - PubMed New peptide antibiotic stops bacteria by binding where no drug has before
Transcribe →Episode 21: Recent Government Action and Its Impact on Scientific Research
Mar 24, 202500:34:25Tap to summarizeWeek two of the politically adjacent Unqualified Curiosity Podcast! I know I know you love hearing about money, politics, and international relations but unfortunately, this is the last week of it );. For now, though we take a shallow dive into the recent government action and its impacts on grant-related research funding, the topics of research, and international collaboration in research. You will come to find that pretty much everything is up in the air right now, but still an important topic to stay up to date on in the scientific realm. As always thanks for listening and stay curious! Citations follow: Government Action Impacts on Scientific Research: Understanding the NIH's New Indirect Cost Rate Policy: What Nonprofit and Higher Education CFOs Need to Know | BDO Impact of Trump Administration Directives on Scientific Research in the U.S. | Advisories | Arnold & Porter Massive Cuts in Research Funding Hamper Necessary Innovations in Key Technologies for the Energy Transition - Fraunhofer ISE Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Energy Funding: House vs. Senate Markups | Insights | Holland & Knight Trump blocks renewable energy approvals on federal lands and waters - DCD What Businesses Need to Know About DEI in the Trump Era: FAQs for Employers | Fisher Phillips What Businesses Need to Know About DEI in the Trump Era: FAQs for Employers | Fisher Phillips What Businesses Need to Know About DEI in the Trump Era: FAQs for Employers | Fisher Phillips NIH Cuts Indirect Cost Payments: “Lights in Labs Nationwide Will Literally Go Out” - Ophthalmology Advisor Researchers Respond to NIH Funding Cuts and Indirect Costs Cap NSF Budget Cuts Would Put the Future of U.S. Innovation and Security at Risk - CRA How cuts at U.S. aid agency hinder university research Trump admin's NIH cuts threaten student admissions, medical research What’s in store for US science as funding bill averts government shutdown Trump Administration Puts Subsidized Green-Energy Companies on a Diet | The Heritage Foundation US science rues ongoing demotion of research under President Trump – Physics World How Trump's executive orders are disrupting academic research Trump orders cause chaos at science agencies | Science | AAAS NIH funding freeze stalls $1.5 billion in medical research grant funding : Shots - Health News : NPR Trump’s NIH Is Right to Cap Funding for Universities’ Indirect Costs ‘All this is in crisis’: US universities curtail staff, spending as Trump cuts take hold Trump team ‘survey’ sent to overseas researchers prompts foreign interference fears
Transcribe →Episode 20: Abridged Summary of Recent US Environmental Regulation
Mar 17, 202500:28:57Tap to summarizeWhat's up curious folks! Today is a touchy subject so I tried to mostly just present the ideas and what actually occurred. But with the importance of governmental policy on environmental progress, climate change, and science as a whole, this topic is just too important not to include on the podcast to some extent. This definitely does not encompass everything that happened but I hope to summarize the major points. As always thank you for listening and stay curious! Citations Follow Executive Order Summary: Trump Executive Orders Target Environmental Policies and Federal 2025 Administration Actions: Key Executive Orders and Policies EELP-Environmental-and-Energy-Executive-Orders-Jan.-2025.pdf Trump 2.0: The Changing Landscape of Renewable Energy Regulation IRA funding freeze has put ‘many’ clean energy projects on pause | ESG Dive Trump’s nuclear energy strategy: the state of play | Insights | Torys LLP Why the clean-energy industry is growing despite Trump’s attacks : NPR President Trump’s week-one Executive Orders signal significant changes coming to environmental law | DLA Piper Trump's executive order on wind projects threatens jobs, climate : NPR Trump reverses Biden's electric vehicle mandate Biden administration approves California plans to ban sale of gas-only vehicles : NPR Unleashing American Energy – The White House Targets | Climate Action Tracker Microsoft Word - United States NDC April 21 2021 Final.docx Top 5 Environmental Actions You Should Know from President Trump’s First Day | Environmental and Energy Brief Top 5 Environmental Actions You Should Know from President Trump’s First Day | Environmental and Energy Brief United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - Wikipedia United States and the Paris Agreement - Wikipedia Effect of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement | Climate Action Tracker Climate Change Indicators: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA
Transcribe →Episode 19: Wooly Mammoth Resurrection and the Return of the NASA Astronauts
Mar 12, 202500:22:31Tap to summarizeA few days late on this upload, but better late than never. A little light this week as I have been casting (attempting to fish to no avail), and I anticipate that next week will be light as well because of that. But this week we get to investigate the process of cloning and de-extinction efforts. As well as the development of new wooly mice, which are absolutely adorable. As always thanks for listening and stay curious! Citations follow: Wooly Mammoth De-Extinction: Solving the Colossal Problem of Extinction | Colossal ‘Resurrection science’ is gaining steam, but are scientists any closer to reviving lost species? | CNN Scientists genetically engineer mice with thick hair like the woolly mammoth | AP News Evaluation and Reduction of CRISPR Off-Target Cleavage Events - PMC Why ‘De-Extinction’ Is Impossible (But Could Work Anyway) | Quanta Magazine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)—Roles in Regenerative Therapies, Disease Modelling and Drug Screening - PMC How De-Extinction Works | Colossal Scientists Have Bred Woolly Mice on Their Journey to Bring Back the Mammoth | TIME The Life of Dolly | The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Dolly | History, Impact & Legacy | Britannica The story of Dolly the sheep | National Museums Scotland World’s Second Successfully Cloned Endangered Przewalski’s Horse Arrives to New Home at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance NASA Recovery: Stranded Nasa astronauts on what they'll miss when they return to Earth
Transcribe →