July 28, 2025
Funding Curiosity: How Budgeting for Curiosity Leads to BIG Dividends
On this episode, we dive into the power of curiosity—how simple questions can spark revolutions in science, technology, and society. Inspired by a roadside observation, we explore why cultivating curiosity is critical at every level of society, from national parks to apprenticeships, and why funding the “discovery phase” of science pays off in ways we can’t always predict.
While it’s often said that monarchs avoid the Great Lakes as if skirting a long-gone mountain, this is a myth. Monarchs use sun compasses, circadian rhythms, and favorable winds to navigate—reminding us that curiosity often begins by questioning the stories we tell ourselves.
Why curiosity—not just knowledge—drives innovation
The role of safe, well-funded environments in enabling groundbreaking discoveries
How modern technology is tied to the curious minds of legendary scientists
Practical tips for fostering curiosity in your own life
Scientists who Researched their Curiosities
Lise Meitner – Her insights into nuclear fission led to carbon-free nuclear energy and medical isotope production.
Marie Curie – Her pioneering work on radioactivity laid the foundation for radiation therapy, saving millions of lives.
Enrico Fermi – His research on neutrons and chain reactions paved the way for nuclear reactors and nuclear medicine diagnostics.
How to Spark Curiosity
Notice the unfamiliar on your daily commute and learn what it is.
Pick a word you don’t know and find its meaning.
Learn something new from someone in a different generation.
1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,000
On the way to my family's Sunday
dinner, I was driving through
2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,640
the countryside of North
Carolina with my mom when she
3
00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,880
spotted a field of towering
green plants.
4
00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,160
What is that?
She asked.
5
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,960
I looked over and saw it was
some oversized looking charred,
6
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,960
but when she snapped the photo
and used the plant ID app, it
7
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:29,600
came back as tobacco.
I guess it makes sense this is
8
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,000
North Carolina.
That tiny moment of curiosity
9
00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,000
looking up what we didn't know
sets the stage for today's
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,200
episode.
Because curiosity isn't just a
11
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,400
trait, it's the spark that
drives discovery.
12
00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,440
And when scientists have the
freedom to follow their
13
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,360
questions, society reaps the
rewards.
14
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:53,000
Later that night at dinner, we
started talking about monarch
15
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,440
butterflies, and we're arguing
whether or not monarch
16
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,040
butterflies fly to avoid a giant
mountain in the Great Lakes.
17
00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,160
Now, there is no mountain in the
Great Lakes, but the theory goes
18
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:10,280
that there was 1 long ago now.
It's a compelling metaphor, but
19
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,000
science kind of debunks it.
Rather than an ancestral memory,
20
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,280
monarchs navigate using sun,
compasses, circadian timing,
21
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,360
wind currents and geography.
They pause at spots to catch
22
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,080
favorable winds, then glad
across the lake towards Mexico
23
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,040
or Florida.
No ghost mountain needed.
24
00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:34,320
But like the monarch myth, we
often rely on stories or habits
25
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,400
built around assumptions until
someone asks, is the mountain
26
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,640
even real anymore?
Throughout history,
27
00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,320
breakthroughs have come from
scientists who are curious
28
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,920
enough to question the obvious.
Albert Einstein asked why light
29
00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,200
behaved the way it did.
Lisa Meitner wondered about the
30
00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,200
splitting of atoms.
Hans Beta was fascinated by the
31
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,600
process of powering stars.
Ernest Lawrence was curious
32
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:05,560
about particle acceleration.
Marie Curie tirelessly explored
33
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,720
radiation.
Enrico Fermi followed his
34
00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,600
questions about neutrons.
And all leading to major
35
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,400
scientific breakthroughs.
And they didn't just happen.
36
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,200
They were born in environments
where scientists could ask bold
37
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,600
questions without fear.
Many of these scientists from
38
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,160
the golden age of nuclear
exploration sought out safe,
39
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,640
well funded environments to
study in.
40
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,760
These were places where they
could ask bold questions without
41
00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,720
fear or losing funding.
So why should we fund curiosity?
42
00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,040
Well, curiosity is fragile.
Without safe and well supported
43
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,440
environments, it Withers.
Great discoveries often require
44
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,720
time, resources, and freedom to
fail before success emerges.
45
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,320
This is why funding science in
its discovery phase before
46
00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,600
there's a clear commercial
product is essential.
47
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,240
Many of the breakthroughs we
rely on today come from
48
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:10,320
questions that at the time
seemed abstract, impractical,
49
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,720
and downright silly.
But academia isn't the only
50
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,840
place where curiosity can be
fostered.
51
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,680
We also need to invest in
national parks where researchers
52
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,640
and citizens alike can study
ecosystems and biodiversity.
53
00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,280
Children's programs that ignite
a love of exploration early on,
54
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,440
teaching kids to ask why and
what if without fear.
55
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,320
Apprenticeships and internships.
These allow students to try new
56
00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,600
fields and trades where hands on
experiences can spark unexpected
57
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,640
passions.
These types of environments
58
00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,840
plant seeds for discovery that
may not bloom for decades, but
59
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,720
when they do, they transform the
world.
60
00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,560
Take these modern day
technologies, each rooted in
61
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,440
curiosities of the past.
Lisa Meitner's insights into
62
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,320
nuclear fission pave the way for
carbon free nuclear energy and
63
00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,120
medical isotope productions.
Marie Curie's pioneering work on
64
00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,440
radioactivity laid the
foundation for radiation therapy
65
00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,519
used in cancer treatment.
Enrico Fermi's research on
66
00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:23,120
neutrons and chain reactions led
to technologies like nuclear
67
00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,560
reactors for power generation
and nuclear medicine
68
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,080
diagnostics.
When we invest in curiosity,
69
00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,720
wherever it appears, we're
investing in the breakthroughs
70
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:38,160
of tomorrow.
So how do we foster curiosity?
71
00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,720
In a previous episode, I
mentioned my time as a science
72
00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,400
educator.
Fostering curiosity is fairly
73
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,200
simple.
You have to first start with the
74
00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,920
environment that encourages
exploration.
75
00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:54,760
Letting kids know that no
question is too silly.
76
00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,960
Even questions like how many cow
farts would it take to smother
77
00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,400
the entire town?
Welcome any and all questions,
78
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,640
even the uncomfortable ones, and
if you can't answer them by
79
00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,440
yourself, reach out to somebody
who might be able to.
80
00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,920
Lastly, reward action.
When people are supported for
81
00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:19,240
not just asking questions, but
pursuing answers, magic happens.
82
00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,920
Speaking of action, here are
three low stakes ways to become
83
00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,160
a little more curious.
Because curiosity is not just
84
00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,200
for scientists.
You can foster it daily.
85
00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,120
Number one, find something on
your daily commute you don't
86
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,880
know about.
Look it up, see what it does.
87
00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,120
I'm sure you pass many of things
every day that you don't exactly
88
00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:46,800
know what they do #2 ask a wild
what if question.
89
00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,760
Then we're back from there.
What if in Vanessa Carlton's
90
00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,760
1000 miles you could fall into
the sky?
91
00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,720
That was actually a question my
softball team tried to figure
92
00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,240
out.
What type of wild scientific
93
00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:07,200
events would have to occur for
gravity to not work for people
94
00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,880
to just fall into the sky.
Yes, our plane was delayed for
95
00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,640
hours, so we had a lot of time
on our hands.
96
00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:20,440
But we came up with some pretty
interesting theories #3 ask
97
00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,200
someone from a different
generation to teach you
98
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,960
something they know.
This is great because I find
99
00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,560
generations have pools of
knowledge.
100
00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,680
I find younger generations
fascinating.
101
00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,600
The K through 12 range really
operates through oral history.
102
00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,520
You don't think about it, but
did you ever read Patty cake in
103
00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,280
a book?
Ask any 10 year old to show you
104
00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,400
a secret handshake and chances
are parts of it are from the
105
00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,080
Parent Trap.
Nowadays, younger generations
106
00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,160
are fluent in iPhone emails and
social media.
107
00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,520
Their messaging is instant and
there's lots to learn from them.
108
00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,600
In the same ilk, older
generations of retirement age
109
00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,120
have the bulk of the trade
knowledge.
110
00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,240
That means decades of life
lessons from hands on real life
111
00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,960
work.
You can always learn something
112
00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:16,000
from everyone.
So what mountains are you still
113
00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,720
flying around without
questioning?
114
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,280
Comment in this episode.
What makes you curious?
115
00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,640
What drives your curiosities?
Let us know.
116
00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:29,320
Curiosity drives change, but
only if we create the conditions
117
00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:33,160
for it to thrive.
Until next time, stay curious.
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,000
On the way to my family's Sunday
dinner, I was driving through
2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,640
the countryside of North
Carolina with my mom when she
3
00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,880
spotted a field of towering
green plants.
4
00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,160
What is that?
She asked.
5
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,960
I looked over and saw it was
some oversized looking charred,
6
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,960
but when she snapped the photo
and used the plant ID app, it
7
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:29,600
came back as tobacco.
I guess it makes sense this is
8
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,000
North Carolina.
That tiny moment of curiosity
9
00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,000
looking up what we didn't know
sets the stage for today's
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,200
episode.
Because curiosity isn't just a
11
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,400
trait, it's the spark that
drives discovery.
12
00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,440
And when scientists have the
freedom to follow their
13
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,360
questions, society reaps the
rewards.
14
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:53,000
Later that night at dinner, we
started talking about monarch
15
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,440
butterflies, and we're arguing
whether or not monarch
16
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,040
butterflies fly to avoid a giant
mountain in the Great Lakes.
17
00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,160
Now, there is no mountain in the
Great Lakes, but the theory goes
18
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:10,280
that there was 1 long ago now.
It's a compelling metaphor, but
19
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,000
science kind of debunks it.
Rather than an ancestral memory,
20
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,280
monarchs navigate using sun,
compasses, circadian timing,
21
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,360
wind currents and geography.
They pause at spots to catch
22
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,080
favorable winds, then glad
across the lake towards Mexico
23
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,040
or Florida.
No ghost mountain needed.
24
00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:34,320
But like the monarch myth, we
often rely on stories or habits
25
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,400
built around assumptions until
someone asks, is the mountain
26
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,640
even real anymore?
Throughout history,
27
00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,320
breakthroughs have come from
scientists who are curious
28
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,920
enough to question the obvious.
Albert Einstein asked why light
29
00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,200
behaved the way it did.
Lisa Meitner wondered about the
30
00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,200
splitting of atoms.
Hans Beta was fascinated by the
31
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,600
process of powering stars.
Ernest Lawrence was curious
32
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:05,560
about particle acceleration.
Marie Curie tirelessly explored
33
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,720
radiation.
Enrico Fermi followed his
34
00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,600
questions about neutrons.
And all leading to major
35
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,400
scientific breakthroughs.
And they didn't just happen.
36
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,200
They were born in environments
where scientists could ask bold
37
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,600
questions without fear.
Many of these scientists from
38
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,160
the golden age of nuclear
exploration sought out safe,
39
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,640
well funded environments to
study in.
40
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,760
These were places where they
could ask bold questions without
41
00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,720
fear or losing funding.
So why should we fund curiosity?
42
00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,040
Well, curiosity is fragile.
Without safe and well supported
43
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,440
environments, it Withers.
Great discoveries often require
44
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,720
time, resources, and freedom to
fail before success emerges.
45
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,320
This is why funding science in
its discovery phase before
46
00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,600
there's a clear commercial
product is essential.
47
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,240
Many of the breakthroughs we
rely on today come from
48
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:10,320
questions that at the time
seemed abstract, impractical,
49
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,720
and downright silly.
But academia isn't the only
50
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,840
place where curiosity can be
fostered.
51
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,680
We also need to invest in
national parks where researchers
52
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,640
and citizens alike can study
ecosystems and biodiversity.
53
00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,280
Children's programs that ignite
a love of exploration early on,
54
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,440
teaching kids to ask why and
what if without fear.
55
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,320
Apprenticeships and internships.
These allow students to try new
56
00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,600
fields and trades where hands on
experiences can spark unexpected
57
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,640
passions.
These types of environments
58
00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,840
plant seeds for discovery that
may not bloom for decades, but
59
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,720
when they do, they transform the
world.
60
00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,560
Take these modern day
technologies, each rooted in
61
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,440
curiosities of the past.
Lisa Meitner's insights into
62
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,320
nuclear fission pave the way for
carbon free nuclear energy and
63
00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,120
medical isotope productions.
Marie Curie's pioneering work on
64
00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,440
radioactivity laid the
foundation for radiation therapy
65
00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,519
used in cancer treatment.
Enrico Fermi's research on
66
00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:23,120
neutrons and chain reactions led
to technologies like nuclear
67
00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,560
reactors for power generation
and nuclear medicine
68
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,080
diagnostics.
When we invest in curiosity,
69
00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,720
wherever it appears, we're
investing in the breakthroughs
70
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:38,160
of tomorrow.
So how do we foster curiosity?
71
00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,720
In a previous episode, I
mentioned my time as a science
72
00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,400
educator.
Fostering curiosity is fairly
73
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,200
simple.
You have to first start with the
74
00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,920
environment that encourages
exploration.
75
00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:54,760
Letting kids know that no
question is too silly.
76
00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,960
Even questions like how many cow
farts would it take to smother
77
00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,400
the entire town?
Welcome any and all questions,
78
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,640
even the uncomfortable ones, and
if you can't answer them by
79
00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,440
yourself, reach out to somebody
who might be able to.
80
00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,920
Lastly, reward action.
When people are supported for
81
00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:19,240
not just asking questions, but
pursuing answers, magic happens.
82
00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,920
Speaking of action, here are
three low stakes ways to become
83
00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,160
a little more curious.
Because curiosity is not just
84
00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,200
for scientists.
You can foster it daily.
85
00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,120
Number one, find something on
your daily commute you don't
86
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,880
know about.
Look it up, see what it does.
87
00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,120
I'm sure you pass many of things
every day that you don't exactly
88
00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:46,800
know what they do #2 ask a wild
what if question.
89
00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,760
Then we're back from there.
What if in Vanessa Carlton's
90
00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,760
1000 miles you could fall into
the sky?
91
00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,720
That was actually a question my
softball team tried to figure
92
00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,240
out.
What type of wild scientific
93
00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:07,200
events would have to occur for
gravity to not work for people
94
00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,880
to just fall into the sky.
Yes, our plane was delayed for
95
00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,640
hours, so we had a lot of time
on our hands.
96
00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:20,440
But we came up with some pretty
interesting theories #3 ask
97
00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,200
someone from a different
generation to teach you
98
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,960
something they know.
This is great because I find
99
00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,560
generations have pools of
knowledge.
100
00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,680
I find younger generations
fascinating.
101
00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,600
The K through 12 range really
operates through oral history.
102
00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,520
You don't think about it, but
did you ever read Patty cake in
103
00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,280
a book?
Ask any 10 year old to show you
104
00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,400
a secret handshake and chances
are parts of it are from the
105
00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,080
Parent Trap.
Nowadays, younger generations
106
00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,160
are fluent in iPhone emails and
social media.
107
00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,520
Their messaging is instant and
there's lots to learn from them.
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In the same ilk, older
generations of retirement age
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00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,120
have the bulk of the trade
knowledge.
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That means decades of life
lessons from hands on real life
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work.
You can always learn something
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from everyone.
So what mountains are you still
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flying around without
questioning?
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Comment in this episode.
What makes you curious?
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What drives your curiosities?
Let us know.
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00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:29,320
Curiosity drives change, but
only if we create the conditions
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for it to thrive.
Until next time, stay curious.