Name: Can You Learn to Be Funny?
Uploaded: 2020-03-24 00:00:00
Duration: 11 min 43 s
Description: What do you get when you cross a clown teacher, a comedian and neuroscientist? Surprising new insights about what it takes to be funny.

Timely and intriguing short stories about science & tech, history, global issues and the personalities at the center of it all.

We are obsessed with flavor, yet taste is the most overlooked sense. Surprising new discoveries are changing our understanding of taste, and how it has evolved to keep us alive.

Evolution of Flavor

An alarming decline in insect populations could devastate all life on earth. What's causing it, and can anything be done to stop it?

Insect Apocalypse

An alien world of bizarre creatures exists in the surface film of most lakes and ponds - tiny insects, with incredible capabilities, locked in a life and death struggle to survive.

Aliens In the Pond

Blockchain technology is sweeping the globe, moving from high-flying cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to more traditional sectors of our economy. But is it safe? And can it be trusted to help manage everything from our health care to our food supply?

Blockchain Revolution

South Florida isn’t just known for its stunning coastline. It’s home to one of the most productive agricultural regions on the planet – a vast swath of fertile soil where virtually anything can be grown in abundance.

Florida's Garden of Eden

“Muck City” Florida is one of the biggest sugar-producing regions on the planet. But the traditional practice of cane field burning at harvest is sparking a heated debate.

The Sweet & Sour Of Florida Sugar

U.S. Route 1 transformed Florida and paved the way for millions of Americans to enjoy the splendor of the tropics for the first time. The stunning new journey along it was immortalized by a renowned group of black American painters known as the “highwaymen.”

The Road To Florida

Wildlife tracker Tyler Johnerson explores the deadly rivalry that's developed between native mountain lions and reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

America's Wildest Cat & Dog Rivalry

The SUrge-STructure-Atmosphere INteraction facility, or SUSTAIN, will help scientists at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science better understand the complex interactions between a hurricane and the ocean below it, as well as the coastlines it may affect.

Preparing for Hurricanes

Shark expert Jim Abernethy conducts stunning, cage-free dives with the ocean’s greatest predators to demonstrate they are not mindless, man-eating monsters.

The Shark Whisperer

Have you ever wondered what happens behind closed doors at zoos and aquariums? What do the animals do when no one is around to watch them? Catch a glimpse at the quirky happenings that guests normally don’t get to see.

Night At The Aquarium

Marjorie Merriweather Post, the woman who built Mar-a-Lago in the 1920s, had a grand vision for the estate to one day become a “Winter White House”. She may have never imagined in her wildest dreams the ironic twists and turns the Palm Beach property would take in accomplishing the mission.

The Birth Of Mar-a-Lago

Author David Quammen predicted the coronavirus pandemic nearly a decade ago, in his best-selling book "Spillover." Now, he shows us how the same remote Montana lab that spawned his work, is on the front-lines of efforts to combat Covid-19.

From The Frontlines Of Covid19

A team of maritime archaeologists descends 700 feet off the coast of North Carolina in search of the U-576, a German submarine that went down in a historic 1942 battle, possibly trapping 45 Nazi sailors inside.

Hunt for the U-576

In 1938, an American psychologist and ethnologist captured 500 macaque monkeys and brought them to a remote and uninhabited Caribbean island. His project was to study a primate population roaming free, in a giant open-air laboratory.

Monkey Island

Devastating swarms of locusts are devouring everything in their path from Africa to India. Scientists and citizens are waging a massive war with cutting edge technology to stop the infestation from becoming a deadly plague.

Locust Swarm

Top trappers from Florida Fish & Wildlife go to battle each day against dangerous nuisance alligators that lurk beneath the lush lakes and canals of Palm Beach.

Catching Florida's Apex Predator

Strap-in for a breathtaking tour of the history and wildlife of Lake Okeechobee, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the United States, and the source of life for South Florida's magnificent Everglades.

Mother Of The Everglades

Could you find a way to survive in a post-apocalyptic world? Astrobiologist and author Lewis Dartnell explores what it would take to stay alive following a global cataclysm, and what knowledge we would need to rebuild civilization as we know it.

Apocalypse 101

Today, 24-hour forecasts are 95% reliable and 3-day forecasts are 80% reliable. How do scientists predict the weather and, each year, improve their predictions? It's a race against time using the latest technologies.

The Race to Forecast Weather

The face of baseball is rapidly changing. The next generation of major league stars are using cutting-edge science and technology to drive their performance to unprecedented heights.

Engineering A Pro

For decades, it was thought that ADHD primarily affected boys and men. But new research is revealing the stunning impact the disorder can have on women, leading to effective treatments for millions who may be suffering in silence.

Women with ADHD

The human body is a wonderfully complex machine and confronted to extreme conditions such as hypoxia, cold, and isolation, it triggers off strange and primitive survival mechanisms that modern science is only beginning to understand.

Beyond Cold

On January 7th, 1785, two men took on a bold challenge: to cross the English Channel in a balloon! Watch modern enthusiasts rebuild the original balloons using 18th-century tools and relive this incredible adventure!

First In The Sky

The Iberian Lynx, classified as the world’s most endangered cat, was once close to total extinction. Today, a group of scientists and conservationists are battling to repopulate the species, giving hope that these elusive animals may one day make a comeback.

Iberian Lynx: Saving the World's Most Endangered Cat

Nearly a century after having disappeared from its natural habitat, the German wolf is making a comeback in its native ecosystem. The reason for their return and expansion could be thanks to an unlikely ally… the military.

Wolves and Tanks

It all began in Florida in the 80’s when exotic fish aficionados decided to release their lionfish into the nearby ocean waters. In just over a decade, those fish conquered a massive territory at a horrifying speed. Scientists are calling it the worst invasion on the planet.

Lionfish: Alien of the Sea

The fire ant strikes fear in all those who cross its path, and with good reason: this ant is taking over the world. A colony can contain up to 40 million individuals.It exterminates all other species, confiscates food for its own use, and ferociously defends its territory.

Fire Ant Invasion

Tokyo is the most populated urban zone on the planet. Built on a fault line, threatened by flooding and several active volcanoes, the city seems doomed to disappear, and yet it continues to grow. See the ambitious projects under development to save this unique city.

Saving Tokyo

During World War II, the submarines of the "Free French Naval Forces" scoured the Atlantic to neutralize the Nazi Navy. Discover the forgotten ships that made possible the liberation of France.

Five Submarines Against the Nazis

A mysterious World War II wreck is discovered off the coast of Italy by archeologists. Could this be the wreck of the long lost U-455, the last missing German U-boat?

The Mystery of U-455

The Cuban crocodile is an endangered species poised to disappear. Meet the people trying to save this unique animal from extinction.

Bay of Crocs

On the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Commander Jim Lovell and Apollo engineers recall the ingenuity and superhuman efforts that turned a space flight disaster into an extraordinary fight for survival.

Crisis On Apollo 13

What do you get when you cross a clown teacher, a comedian and neuroscientist? Surprising new insights about what it takes to be funny.

Can You Learn to Be Funny?

Get a sneak peek at the cutting-edge science and sophisticated Hollywood production techniques featured in the landmark special Pompeii: Disaster Street, premiering exclusively on Curiosity Stream March 19, 2020.

Pompeii: Behind the Scenes

Every child has a gift, and all of us as human beings have a contribution that we can make to society, and we just have to find what that is. But what does it take to create a genius? What should the education of a genius look like?

Raising A Genius

Conoce a René, un explorador de la Patagonia que te hará un tour a su lugar favorito en la Tierra: Torres del Paine. Este parque nacional en los confines del mundo es el hogar de algunas de las criaturas más maravillosas del planeta, y Rene será el guía que dará la posibilidad de verlas de cerca.

Mi Hogar Salvaje: Patagonia

The final ship to bring slaves to the United States has been hidden in the swamps of Mobile, Alabama for generations. The search for it is a stark reminder of the past and offers proof of family histories that resonates with the families that still call this small town home.

Last American Slave Ship

Conoce a una familia de Chungungos, las nutrias más pequeñas y misteriosas del mundo. Habitandoa lo largo de la costa salvaje del Océano Pacífico, estas criaturas peludas, inteligentes y adorables construyen su hogar en la naturaleza de Chile.

Chungungo: La Nutria Mas Pequeña del Mundo

La Antártida es un continente misterioso y inexplorado. Gracias al Instituto Antártico Chileno y al Centro de Investigación Dinámica de los Ecosistemas Marinos, un grupo de científicos sufren temperaturas extremas para estudiar el cambio climático y las corrientes oceánicas de la tierra.

Antártida: ciencia bajo cero

Antarctica is a mysterious and unexplored continent. Thanks to the Chilean Antarctic Institute and the research center Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems of High Latitudes, a group of scientists are suffering the extreme temperatures to study climate change and the earth's ocean currents.

Antarctica Science Below Zero

Modern birds are the most direct descendants of some of the most iconic dinosaurs to ever walk this planet. But can science really enable us to alter chicken embryos to resemble their mightiest ancestor: T-Rex?

Tastes Like T-Rex

Our earliest ancestors, before developing agriculture as a source of food, formed what is considered hunter-gather societies. The Hadzabe of Tanzania are considered one of the last of these tribes on the planet. How do they pass down the knowledge of this way of life to the next generation?

Growing up Hadza

Meet a family of Chungungos, the world's mysterious, smallest otter. Living along the untamed coast of the southern Pacific Ocean, these furry, intelligent, and adorable creatures make their home in the wild of Chile.

Chungungo: The World's Smallest Otter

Take a journey with famed underwater photographer Peter Kragh, as he explores the coast of California, and reveals some of the most spectacular life found under the sea.

Secret Underwater Planet

Just over 100 years ago, a pair of brothers looked to the sky and changed the world. They designed, built and flew the most ridiculous of inventions. How did two bicycle mechanics manage to succeed where the others had failed?

The Wright Brothers: Bravery

What does it take to become a professional tennis player? Both on and off the court preparations help build the strength of character and focused mind to take on the challenges of a sport that demands precision and superior athleticism.

Path to the Pros

The I-400 was one of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Sen Toku-class submarines, which were the largest submarines ever built before the age of nuclear-powered subs. These massive vessels were longer than a football field and were used as submarine aircraft carriers.

Search for Japan's Lost Supersub

Growing up in Montana, Casey Anderson came to love and appreciate wild animals at a very young age. He found a particular kinship with bears. One day he was faced with a fateful decision, leave and orphaned grizzly cub to die in the wild or save it. Now he is faced with that same decision again.

Bear Cub Rescue

The octopus is as close to an alien being as anything we've seen on Earth. From a feeding frenzy at the bottom of the sea to a mother taking care of thousands of its eggs, travel to the pacific ocean to see them at their best and most weird.

Octopus Encounters

Solar sails, the latest in space travel technology, could one day help us reach nearby stars. Follow the exciting missions laying the ground towards a new form of space exploration.

Sailing to the Stars

From wildflower blooms in the desert to large colonies of jellyfish off of Monterey and unbelievable glow in the dark waves, this is California at its finest. Life can bloom in the most unexpected of ways.

Explosion of Life

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, inevitably altered the landscape of modern geopolitical history. Watch never before seen footage taken from both sides of the wall, providing a glimpse at the everyday lives of the Berliners living within its confines.

Berlin Wall Revisited

Kelp forests harbor a greater variety and higher diversity of plants and animals than almost any other ocean community. Many organisms use the thick blades as a safe shelter for their young from predators or even rough storms. But, what can be done when this ecosystem is out of balance?

Rebirth of an Underwater Forest

Increasingly high-tech tools are being used to evaluate youth baseball players. The question is can they outperform professional scouts?

Predicting A Pro

Domestication shaped wolves into dogs and transformed both their behavior and their anatomy. New discoveries show how dogs produce a very specific eyebrow movement more often than wolves do. But how and why did “puppy dog eyes” develop in domesticated dogs?

The Science of Cute

Current research in nutrition points to our diet as the most important factor in continued good health and longevity. Doctors, chefs, and nutritionists show us how going green with fresh ingredients and flavors in our daily meals will improve our health.

Veggie Power

Adaptations in the oceans most colorful invertebrates. Nudibranchs, or sea slugs, have a remarkable range of adaptations to survive in the ocean. From weaponizing stinging cells, harvesting the power of the sun, spraying sulfuric acid, and turning their bodies into drift nets.

Super Sea Slugs

It was discovered on October 19th, 2017 and it was recognized as the first known object of its type. It is unique since it is the first known object that came from outside our solar system. But while we observed it, the mystery surrounding it grew.

Asteroid or Alien Tech?

Worldwide, depression afflicts more than 300 million people, making it the leading global cause of disability. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. Now, there may be a new tool in fighting that depression in the 50-year-old anesthetic ketamine.

Ketamine: From Street Drug to Lifesaver

MOSE is one of the world’s largest and highest-profile civil-engineering works. But will it be able to save Venice? Venice has grappled with inundation for centuries. But due to natural subsidence and higher tides caused by global warming, the city is more vulnerable to flooding than ever before.

Saving Venice

Every person is playing host to at least 40 trillion non-human microorganisms. Collectively, these microbes constitute what's called our microbiome. New science is revealing what these microbes do for us. How can understanding this, help us live healthier lives?

Hacking our Microbiome

Follow a family of sperm whales in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Alongside a team of scientists, who have witnessed their most intimate moments over the past 7 years, we will lift the veil on the largest-toothed predator on earth.

School for Whales

Should we save parasites? These species have a bad reputation but are an essential part of healthy ecosystems throughout the world. Learn how these unappreciated species are part of our ecology and evolution.

Parasite Planet

Deep in the mountains of West Virginia, the Green Bank Observatory has been receiving a mysterious signal from deep space. Could this be a message from an advanced civilization, or is it a much stranger and violent occurrence? Visit the largest steerable radio telescope on the planet for answers.

Message From Space?

Have you ever wondered how much control you really have over your weight? New research may have an answer to that very question asked by many frequent dieters.

Skinny Genes

What do you get when you combine a passion for tiny-house living with cutting-edge green technology? Designer Graham Hill converts a small shed in Hawaii into the ultimate eco-friendly tiny house and a blueprint for sustainable home design.

Tiny House: Living Off the Grid

Firefighters have relied on the same basic tools for decades. But former NASA engineer Mike Ralston hopes to change that with MSTAR – a new breed of emergency vehicle that brings a powerful suite of high-tech tools from Silicon Valley to the front lines of firefighting.

New Firefighting Tech

Few films have had a bigger impact on the American psyche than “Woodstock.” Producer Dale Bell reveals what it took to create the revolutionary documentary that captured the defining moment of 1960s counterculture.

Capturing Woodstock

More than 400 million cups of coffee are consumed in the United States alone each day, making it one of the hottest drinks – even when served cold. Experts reveal some of the surprising secrets that make your favorite coffees taste the way they do.

Coffee Buzz

Food Anthropologist Dr. Bill Schindler is on an international quest to discover what we should eat. He and his family uncover ancient culinary practices and show how they can bring simplicity and good health to the modern kitchen.

Modern Stone Age Family

The staff of South Africa’s Manyoni Private Game Reserve passionately care for some of the world’s most exotic and endangered wild animals. From treating elephant foot infections to testing cheetahs for tuberculosis, they never know what to expect each day.

African Animal Rescue

More than 60,000 fires scorched the Amazon in 2019 causing enormous damage to an ecosystem that’s vital to human existence. What caused the devastating blazes, how will they impact the climate crisis and will the Amazon ever be able to recover?