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Subscribe and prepare to learn something you absolutely did not know existed.

In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss dives into one of the strangest—and most important—jobs in science: whale earwax archivist.

Yes. That’s a real thing.

Certain whales build massive earwax plugs over their lifetime, adding a new layer every six months. And scientists have learned how to read those layers like tree rings—revealing a whale’s age, stress levels, exposure to pollution, and even the history of human impact on the ocean.

🐋 What whale earwax is actually made of
📏 Why these plugs can grow over 10 inches long
🧪 How scientists read them like biological timelines
🌍 What they reveal about climate change, pollution, and industrialization
📉 And why whales are basically the ocean’s canaries in a coal mine

It’s gross. It’s fascinating. And it turns out to be one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding long-term ocean health.

🎧 This episode is part of our Niche Scientists minisode series—short episodes spotlighting the wildly specific research that quietly changes how we understand the world.

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🎉 Support us on Patreon to keep the episodes coming! 🪼🦤🧠 For more laughs, catch us on YouTube!

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Subscribe and let your curiosity swear a little. We won’t tell. 😉

In this Wildly Curious minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole kick off their new Niche Scientists series with a deep dive into Dr. Richard Stephens—a psychologist who studies something we all do (sometimes loudly): swearing.

From pain tolerance to powerlifting, Dr. Stephens’ research shows that strategic cursing can actually make you stronger, tougher, and maybe even a little bit smarter about when to drop an F-bomb.

🤬 Can swearing really reduce pain?
💪 Does cursing make you physically stronger?
🧠 What happens in your brain when you let it fly?
🚫 And why swearing too often makes it less effective?

It’s the perfect mix of science, psychology, and sass—because sometimes the best way to say “ouch”... is to not say “ouch.”

🎧 This is our first episodr of our Niche Scientists minisodes—short, weird, and full of science you didn’t know you needed.

Support the show

🎉 Support us on Patreon to keep the episodes coming! 🪼🦤🧠 For more laughs, catch us on YouTube!

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Subscribe and stuff your brain before you stuff your turkey. 🦃🥧

In this Wildly Curious Thanksgiving special, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole serve up the surprisingly scientific and hilariously human history of America’s favorite feast. From how pumpkins nearly went extinct after the Ice Age to why turkeys were almost wiped out (and then made a comeback), this episode is a buffet of weird facts, origin stories, and seasonal science.

🍂 How mastodons helped evolve pumpkins
🦃 Why Benjamin Franklin thought turkeys were “more respectable” than eagles
🥧 The secret history of pumpkin pie (and the rise of pumpkin spice)
🇺🇸 How Thanksgiving became a national holiday—and a marketing goldmine

It’s history, biology, and nostalgia all rolled into one big, slightly chaotic, pumpkin-scented audio pie.

🎧 Listen in for the laughs, the learning, and the reminder to use your pumpkins wisely.

Support the show

🎉 Support us on Patreon to keep the episodes coming! 🪼🦤🧠 For more laughs, catch us on YouTube!