Learn about why air curtains blast you with air when you walk into certain stores; microbes that survive in the desert by dissolving rocks with acid; and the latest research into how we learn, with help from renowned cognitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene.
Learn about why air curtains blast you with air when you walk into certain stores; microbes that survive in the desert by dissolving rocks with acid; and the latest research into how we learn, with help from renowned cognitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene.
That blast of air when you walk into a business has a name: an air curtain by Grant Currin
Scientists discover microbes that survive in the desert by dissolving rocks with acid by Grant Currin
Additional resources from Stanislas Dehaene:
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Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/new-science-on-how-we-learn-w-stanislas-dehaene-why-stores-use-air-curtains-and-desert-microbes-that-dissolve-rocks-with-acid
CODY: Hi! You’re about to get smarter in just a few minutes with Curiosity Daily from curiosity-dot-com. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, you’ll learn about what that blast of air you feel when you walk into certain stores is; microbes that survive in the desert by dissolving rocks with acid; and the latest science about how we learn, with help from renowned cognitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene [STAN-iss-LOSS dih-HAHN, like “Stefan” with a D].
CODY: Let’s satisfy some curiosity.
You know how sometimes you’ll walk into a mall or a big-box store, and you get hit with a big gust of wind? And your hair gets all windswept like you’re on Baywatch? So glamorous. Well I always thought that was the air conditioning, or heat vents. But it’s NOT. What you’re feeling is called an air curtain, and it actually serves a very specific purpose! Yes, that windswept supermodel moment exists to save energy and, yes, money.
Air curtains are really simple devices. A fan pulls air into a unit mounted above an entrance, and blades shaped like airplane wings direct it down like a waterfall of air across the width of the door. It forms a jetstream that keeps cool air in and warm air out during the summer and vice versa in the winter. An air curtain also keeps things from outside from getting inside, like pollen, insects, vehicle exhaust, and other pollutants.
The downward stream of air produces a surprisingly effective barrier. An air curtain can back up a physical door and act as a second line of defense, only turning on when the physical door opens. That’s the way most malls keep their AC bill down. But air curtains also work when there’s no door at all. A lot of warehouse stores, like Costco, rely on air curtains as the only separation between inside and out.
And like I said, they save a lot of energy. An industry study used modeling software to see how an air curtain would affect a hypothetical building’s energy consumption. The researchers found that in all eight climate zones they assessed across the country, it saved energy. That was especially apparent in chillier places, where a single door with an air curtain saved even more energy than a vestibule door — that’s where you have to open two doors and walk through a tiny room to get into a building. One small caveat, though: that study was conducted by a trade group of companies that make air curtains, so take it with a grain of salt.
So the next time you walk into a building and notice a nice, cool puff of air, take a minute to enjoy it. It might feel good — air curtains usually do — but it’s also saving a little energy.
There are microbes that survive in the desert by dissolving rocks with acid. So hardcore, right?
The microbes I’m talking about live in the very driest parts of the Atacama [AH-tah-CAH-mah] desert in Chile [CHEE-lay]. There’s almost no water here, and yet somehow, there’s life. Streaks of blue-green cyanobacteria live inside chunks of gypsum that can go years without ever seeing a drop of rain. And scientists have just figured out where — and how — the bacteria get the water they need to survive.
It all comes down to the chemical structure of gypsum. The mineral is made of calcium, sulfur, and oxygen — and sometimes water. The molecules have one way of arranging themselves when water’s there, and another way of arranging themselves when there’s not a drop to be found. The two molecular arrangements form different kinds of crystals, which geologists call phases.
Here’s why that’s so important: Researchers have just found evidence that these cyanobacteria are able to live off the water molecules in the rock itself, thanks to some incredible evolutionary ingenuity. They make an acid that eats away at the gypsum, which gives the organism access to any precious water molecules that are stored inside it.
The cyanobacteria form a thin layer called a biofilm juuuust beneath the surface of the rock. They can survive there because gypsum is translucent enough to let in enough sunlight for photosynthesis. Based on experiments, the researchers think organic acids in the biofilm react with the gypsum and make it release water molecules from its molecular structure. Once the bacteria have sucked up all the water there is to drink, they go dormant until there’s more water to be had.
This is a big deal for a couple of reasons. First off, it might give us a hint about the life that could exist — or could have existed — on Mars. The Atacama desert is so similar to the Martian landscape that NASA has used it to test out prototypes of rovers we might one day send to the Red Planet, which definitely has water and probably has gypsum. The findings might have an effect closer to home, too. The researchers were really impressed by the bacteria’s ability to switch in and out of dormancy based on the presence of tiny amounts of water. They think further study might help engineers develop technologies for water storage that humans could use in extreme environments on Earth...or beyond.
But whatever happens, don’t underestimate microbes. There are some hardcore little organisms out there that will live anywhere and do anything to survive.
[CODY: Fun fact, the Atacama Desert is what Smithsonian Magazine calls “an astronomer’s paradise”. Because of its dry desert atmosphere it experiences more than 200 cloudless nights each year. Pretty great place for stargazing.]
CODY: Today’s episode is sponsored by KiwiCo. KiwiCo creates super cool hands-on projects designed to expose kids to concepts in STEAM — that's science, technology, engineering, art and design, and math. All from the comfort of home!
ASHLEY: Each box is delivered monthly and comes with all the supplies needed for that month's project, plus detailed kid-friendly instructions and an enriching magazine filled with content to learn more about the crate’s theme.
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ASHLEY: With KiwiCo’s hands-on art and science projects, kids can engineer a walking robot, blast off a bottle rocket, explore colorful, kid-friendly chemistry, and a whole lot more — all from the comfort of home.
CODY: They have everything you need to make STEAM seriously fun — delivered to your doorstep. Get your first month FREE on select crates at kiwico-dot-com-slash-CURIOSITY.
ASHLEY: That’s K-I-W-I-C-O dot com slash CURIOSITY
We’re gonna get a little meta today and learn about how humans learn — with some help from one of Europe’s leading cognitive neuroscientists. Stanislas Dehaene [STAN-iss-LOSS dih-HAHN, like “Stefan” with a D] is the Director of the Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit in France, and author “How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine...for Now.” His research has not only revealed new insights into how we learn, but also demonstrated how those insights can help us teach machines to learn better, too. Let’s start with a little background on what we’ve learned lately about learning.
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Who knew that little babies were such good scientists? Again, Stanislas Dehaene’s [STAN-iss-LOSS dih-HAHN, like “Stefan” with a D] newest book is called “How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine...for Now.” You can find a link to pick it up in today’s show notes, and check out tomorrow’s episode to learn about the four pillars of learning and how they can help you learn new things.
ASHLEY: Let’s recap the main things we learned today! Starting with
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CODY: Today’s stories were written by Grant Currin and edited by Ashley Hamer, who’s the managing editor for Curiosity Daily.
ASHLEY: Today’s episode was produced and edited by Cody Gough.
CODY: Join us again tomorrow to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!