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Would you like to know why we scream, what’s wrong with the body mass index or why people laugh at Kenny G? There’s a podcast for thatAlie Ward “asks smart people stupid questions” with humour and curiosity, grilling scientists on everything from “procyonology” (raccoons) to “genicular traumatology” (bad knees). The joy of this podcast is sitting in on a conversation between a smart layperson and a passionate expert. Ward’s enthusiasm is infectious and interviewees light up under the beam of her interest. A recent episode explores screaming with input from the world’s only “screamologist”: which animals scream? What distinguishes a scream from a yell? Why do we scream when we’re happy, or asleep? And how do screamologists soundproof their offices? As Ward warns, it is “absolutely not soothing whatsoever” – but it’s typically fascinating.Curiosity Daily, with episodes of about 15 minutes, offers more bite-size science. Continue reading...