A podcast about sharpening your curiosity through science, stories, and bold questions. With Astrophysicist Dr. Dakotah Tyler & STEM Educator Justin Shaifer. Support the podcast by subscribing to our Patreon or visiting our Merch Store: Curiosity Theory Merch Store: https://www.curiositytheorypod.com/store Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CuriosityTheory
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Justin Shaifer Podcasts
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Immune to the Nonsense w/ Nick the Immunologist
1:33:40
1:33:40
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Send us a text This week on Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer sit down with Nick Jackson (@nick.immunologist), an immunologist and PhD candidate, to explore the incredible complexity of the immune system and what it reveals about life itself. They talk about how immunity learns, adapts, and evolves; how viruses shape who we are…
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Send us a text NASA is planning to land a nuclear reactor on the Moon — but what does that mean for humanity’s future in space? Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer break down nuclear fusion, stellar explosions, the origins of gold, pulsar planets, black holes, and even the first possible moments when life could have existed in the cosmos. They exp…
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Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer dig into a wide range of topics and break in the new studio that Justin built from the ground up for Curiosity Theory! Support Curiosity Theory by: Joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CuriosityTheory Visiting the merch store: https://www.curiositytheorypod.com/store Fol…
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Let's Talk Life As We *Don't* Know It: Is Our Definition of Life Too Narrow?
54:33
54:33
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Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer take on the timeless question: what is life? They explore infinite systems, humans as part of larger structures, the debate over artificial life, and why adaptation may be the clearest marker of being alive. This wide-ranging conversation blends science, philosophy, and curiosity …
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Send us a text Audience Q&A: Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer go deep on cosmic questions. They explore theories about whether the universe already died, cycles of cosmic birth and death, the future of life, astrobiology and evolution, the search for exoplanet biosignatures, and how AI and technology shape the way we learn. It’s a wide-ranging,…
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Finding the Signal in the Noise: Career Transitions and Life Alignment
50:52
50:52
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Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer unpack the tricky process of career transitions. They talk about how to recognize misalignment, the importance of transferable skills, the power dynamics that hold people back, and how to find the courage to make a change. This conversation is part strategy, part therapy session, …
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Alien Comets & the Hunt for Earthlike Atmospheres
1:18:04
1:18:04
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Send us a text This episode of Curiosity Theory with Dr. Dakotah Tyler (@dr.starkid) and Justin Shaifer (@mr.fascinate) first covers the science of finding life: alien communication strategies, the idea of a galactic Goldilocks zone where intelligent life may arise, biosignature searches in small exoplanet atmospheres, and what scientists are learn…
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Send us a text This week on Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer open up about pressure, family, and resilience. Dakotah talks about his own mental health journey and how curiosity became a lifeline From personal stories to practical tools, to a mind-bending thought experiment about being a smaller species, this episode blends liv…
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Techno-Feudalism, Awkward Oligarchs, and... Talking Dolphins?
1:04:12
1:04:12
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer ask what happens when AI meets Dr. Doolittle. Could we actually talk to dolphins and other animals with machine learning? From animal communication to OpenAI’s for-profit turn, billion-dollar projects like Stargate, and the strange power games of modern oligarc…
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Strange Exoplanets, Believable Sci-Fi, and Humanity 10,000 Years in the Future
1:12:11
1:12:11
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer take on your questions. From exoplanets to the far future of humanity, to which sci-fi ideas are actually realistic, this conversation bounces across science, imagination, and curiosity at its best. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CuriosityTheory Follow us on …
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Fascinating Frontiers (with minor setbacks): Justin's Sci-Fi Anthology
1:00:11
1:00:11
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler (@Dr.Starkid) and Justin Shaifer (@Mr.Fascinate) put Justin’s original sci-fi ideas under the microscope. They walk through first contact, gaseous life, hive minds, solar system sized parties, atmosphere engineering, uploaded ancestors, and the economics of a cloud afterlife. Fro…
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Being 'Tough' Isn't Enough: A Men's Mental Health Toolkit
1:00:03
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer talk openly about the challenges men face when it comes to mental health. A lot of conversations about men’s mental health swing between two extremes. One says toughness is all you need. The other says toughness is the problem. The truth is more complex than th…
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Flipping the Script on "Toxic" Traits w/ Maynard
1:02:16
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer sit down with Maynard Okereke (aka @hiphopmd) to talk about what it means to lead with curiosity in a world full of noise and how to leverage ambition and drive without burning out. From fighting misinformation to raising curious kids, this episode explores how…
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Astrology & Astronomy Were Married - Then Astronomy Filed For That D-I-V-O-R-C-E
1:06:52
1:06:52
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Send us a text Why does astrology still hold so much power in the age of science? In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler (@Dr.Starkid) and Justin Shaifer (@Mr.Fascinate) break down the surprising psychological and cultural forces behind astrology’s popularity. They unpack how it differs from astronomy, how belief systems spread thro…
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Never Giving up Can Change Your Life: The Bounce Back Blueprint
58:30
58:30
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58:30
Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer open up about what happens when your curiosity fades — and how to get it back. They reflect on burnout, rediscovery, and why staying curious is more than a mindset. It’s a survival strategy. From childhood documentaries to academic setbacks, this episode is pac…
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer go deep into the science (and speculation) of alien life. They break down how we search for exoplanets, what biosignatures NASA is actually looking for, and why life doesn’t need to look anything like what we expect. From Venus to Alpha Centauri to unknown surp…
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People Trust TikTok over PhDs: The Misinformation Nation
47:07
47:07
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47:07
Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer break down the science of thinking clearly — especially in an online world full of misinformation, pseudoscience, and expert denialism. They talk about how to spot bad logic, why expertise is under attack, and how to stay grounded when even basic truths are con…
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Is Understanding AI the New Literacy?
1:22:52
1:22:52
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer break down the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence. From the tension between hype and reality to expert disagreements and a little solar physics just because, this is an honest, nuanced, and human conversation about a technology shaping everything.…
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The Smartest People in the Room Might Be Telling Jokes w/ Manny
56:31
56:31
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56:31
Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer sit down with comedian Manny (@delamomanny) to talk about identity, creativity, and how much (or how little) people really change over time. They dig into ambition, self-esteem, neurodivergence, streaming culture, and the challenge of balancing hustle with staying …
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What Will Humans Become? Emergence & the Next 1000 Years w/ Ashley Christine
1:10:46
1:10:46
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Send us a text In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer are joined by Ashley Christine — better known online as @modernday_eratosthenes — to unpack the challenge of staying true in a world made for noise. We discuss vulnerability in writing, the tension between internet freedom and regulation, voter confusion, and the a…
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Curious Enough to Never Fail!? Comedy, Confidence & Big Questions w/ Comedian Jazmyn W
54:29
54:29
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54:29
Send us a text n this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler (@starkidphd) and Justin Shaifer (@mr.fascinate) are joined by comedian and content creator Jazmyn W (@jazmynw) to explore how comedy, creativity, and chaos intersect in the digital age. We talk about pre-show rituals, growing an audience online, navigating perception, and how to …
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Send us a text Welcome to the very first episode of Curiosity Theory — where we explore the questions that drive us and the stories that shape us. In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Dakotah Tyler (astrophysicist & former D1 football player) and Justin Shaifer (science communicator & media producer) kick things off with a raw and real conversation about …
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Send us a text Curiosity Theory is built on the belief that curiosity isn’t just a personality trait. It’s a vital human force. In ancient times, it helped us survive. Today, it helps us stay engaged, connected, and sane in a world that often numbs us out. We see curiosity as a muscle. When we train it—through science, ideas, stories, and questions…
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