Episode Details

Learn about how radar technology came from a failed attempt to build a death ray; how self-regulation helps you handle intrusive thoughts; and why self-determination theory might explain why the video game Animal Crossing: New Horizons is so incredibly popular. How failing to build a “death ray” led to the invention of radar by Cameron Duke 2.009 Product Engineering Processes: Archimedes. (2019). Mit.edu. https://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/experiments/deathray/10_ArchimedesResult.html  Archaeology and Ground Penetrating Radar. (2019). US Radar. https://usradar.com/gpr-ground-penetrating-radar-applications/archaeology/  Dvorsky, G. (2012, August 20). How Britain’s Failed Attempt to Develop a “Death Ray” Changed the Course of World War II. io9. https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-britains-failed-attempt-to-develop-a-death-ray-chan-5936231  Christensen, B. (2005, October 24). Radar as Death Ray? Livescience.com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/435-radar-death-ray.html  Archimedes Death Ray | MythBusters. (2020). Discovery. https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/full-episodes/archimedes-death-ray  Clark, J. (2008, September 29). What was Archimedes’ death ray? HowStuffWorks. https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/archimedes-death-ray.htm  Intrusive thoughts by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Guillermo in Miami) Schmitz, T. W., Correia, M. M., Ferreira, C. S., Prescot, A. P., & Anderson, M. C. (2017). Hippocampal GABA enables inhibitory control over unwanted thoughts. Nature Communications, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00956-z  Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2007). Self-Regulation, Ego Depletion, and Motivation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00001.x  DeWall, N. (2014). Self-control: Teaching students about their greatest inner strength. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2014/12/self-control  Impulsivity. (2009, September 15). Goodtherapy.org. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/impulse-control-disorders  Self-determination theory may be why everyone is enjoying Animal Crossing so much by Steffie Drucker Dr. Pete Etchells. (2020, May 29). Why are so many people playing Animal Crossing? BBC Science Focus Magazine; BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/why-are-so-many-people-playing-animal-crossing/  Cherry, K. (2013, September 20). Self-Determination Theory and Motivation. Verywell Mind; Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-determination-theory-2795387  ‌Theory – selfdeterminationtheory.org. (2020). Selfdeterminationtheory.org. https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/  Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.