1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind from how Stuff 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: Works dot Com. Hey, welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind. 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: My name is Robert Lamb and I'm Julie Douglass. And 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: if we're rolling into the Thanksgiving season here once again 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: for those of you celebrate Thanksgiving, we thought we would 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: roll out an old favorite here that deals with the 7 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: science of something that we're supposedly in the midstop here Thanksgiving, 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: and that is comfort and mainly comfort food, right, although 9 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: some of us will have some comfort from our family 10 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: members and friends and some of us won't. And you 11 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: are submitting yourself to this tradition, and we thought, well, heck, 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: why don't you share this a little bit that we found. 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: And it's all about leftover turkey and lasik surgery. Yes, yes, 14 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: the amazing connection between the origins of lasic surgery and 15 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: your Thanksgiving turkey. Well, let's travel back to the day 16 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: after Thanksgiving and Rangoswami Shri Shrine of Boston, who is 17 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: a researcher at IBMS, Thomas J. Watson. J. Watson, we 18 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: know that research center in New York had brought some 19 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: turkey with him to work the next day, right, right, 20 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: So he's looking for the the just the right tissue 21 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: to experiment on. And then lo and behold, there it is. Yes, 22 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: he and his fellow researchers, they found this turkey to 23 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: be the absolute perfect tissue to try out a new tool, 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: which was an argon fluoride or a r f X 25 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: nim Er laser. So what did he do. He blasted 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: his leftover turkey with ten nanosecond pulses of light from 27 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: this laser. And and they all had that big Eureka 28 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: moment because they realized that it could deliver a clean 29 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: incision mark and and the rest is really lasik surgery history. 30 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: There you go. So you think about that at the 31 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: thanks even dinner table or the next time you go 32 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: under the uh the laser for a little lasic surgery yourself. 33 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: I was, I was just thinking, I don't know, maybe 34 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: this is something that would be uncomfortable at the dinner table. 35 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: You know, you're tucking into your turkey and someone's all like, yeah, 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: lasic eye surgery, the correct incision, and then every incision 37 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: into the turkey becomes on some level insertion into an eyeball. 38 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, do that share this story? All? Right? So 39 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: here we go. We're talking about comfort, and this is 40 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: certainly a season of comfort, but comfort food, the feeling 41 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: of comfort is something that we we crave, that we 42 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: seek out at various times throughout the years. So so 43 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: don't run away. If you were listening to this in July, 44 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: that's right, because you never know, in Jela you might 45 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: need a bit of comfort, cold comfort at that point 46 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: from your air conditioner. But um yeah, I mean what 47 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: I think about comfort. I think about quilts, I think 48 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: about hot cocoa, and I think that some people are 49 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 1: drawn more to comfort than other people. M yeah, I'm 50 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: probably about you know, halfway there, doesn't you know. Sure, 51 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: I'll take some comfort, but I don't need it. I 52 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: mean I really like comfort. I mean I'm pro comfort 53 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: because for me, I probably think, you know, and like 54 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: a nice warm blanket, that's good, cat on your lap, 55 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: that's good hot beverage of some kind. I guess the 56 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: comfort I do tend to think of it especially something 57 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: I seek out during colder months. Um yeah, which which 58 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: also brings to mind, like like chicken soup, something that 59 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: I don't actually nobody really likes chicken soup. I mean, 60 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: my wife makes delicious chicken soup, but for the most part. 61 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: You're coming at chicken soup out of a sense of 62 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: more than just wanting to taste, but you want all 63 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: the emotions that come with it and all the all 64 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: the ideas about chicken soup that exists culturally. You know. 65 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: So already we've talked about several different aspects of comfort, 66 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: because really you've got the tactile part of it, and 67 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: then you've got the food part of it, and then 68 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: the psychology that sort of jells all of it together. Yeah, 69 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: because what does it ultimately breakdown to? Um afkan neuroscientists 70 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: and they'll say it all comes down to it being 71 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: the opposite of stress, which is pretty broad. But yeah, 72 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: I think of a thing of time you've been stressed, 73 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: thing of the time when you've been comfortable. They're pretty 74 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: much polar opposites. Nobody's sitting around biting their nails and 75 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: guzzling chicken soup with a blanket wrapped around them while 76 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: they watched Gilmore Girls Marathon on TV or something, right, 77 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's all about very specific and there's 78 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: another aspect because I I know somebody who's who's who 79 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: that remember that was their comfort thing, and certainly that's 80 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: another aspect of comfort is is media. You know, It's 81 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: like there'll be certain certain albums you might put on. 82 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: There was like, Yeah, I'm gonna put on some Boards 83 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: of Canada and that's for me a very that's a 84 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: very comfort minded soundtrack to plug into. Or for some 85 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: people it is a Gilmore's Girl Marathon, you know, something 86 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: that they that really serves as kind of a replacement 87 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: social engagements. Well, for me, Little House from the Prairie. Yeah, 88 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: Michael Landon, all the schmaltz, Michael Landon it could ever want, 89 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: because when the world seems cruel and unfair, Michael Landon 90 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: is there for you. So what we're talking about are 91 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: three principles of comfort, security, reward and connectedness. So I'm 92 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: just feeling connected to your fellow man, which might have 93 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: something to do with Michael Landon right. Um, And each 94 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: of these principles of comfort activate different parts of our brains. 95 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: So it would make sense that you have this sort 96 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: of big idea of comfort having to do with the tactile, 97 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: having to do with food, having to do with music, media, um, 98 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: all being rolled up into this one big thing that 99 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: comes at the end of November, you know, into our 100 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: living rooms. And Thanksgiving. And that's really why we wanted 101 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: to cover this topic, because you think about Thanksgiving and 102 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: ultimately you think about not just family conflict and uncomfortable 103 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: silence around the table, but comfort foods to help ameliorate 104 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: all of those feelings of tension with your family. Yes, 105 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: uh and comfort food It's it's interesting when you start 106 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: really thinking about not only what it means to you, 107 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: because everyone's got their comfort foods, you know, and and 108 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: certainly there are some comfort foods that you think of 109 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: a lot. And you think of things like fried chickens 110 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: a comfort food or various uh you know, or a 111 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 1: casserole or what have you. Um, So a lot of 112 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: times it's something that your mom made or whoever raised you, 113 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: something you grew up with, where when you eat it, 114 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: it takes you back to that feeling of safety that 115 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: you had as a child being provided for. But then 116 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: also a lot of it is cultural to uh. You 117 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: say you're of Italian heritage, then your comfort food might 118 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: be uh, not not only your mother's food, but your 119 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: mother's spaghetti or than anybody's uh particular spaghetti recipe, or 120 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: if you're of German heritage, and maybe it's that particular 121 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: schnitzel that really does it for you. It really takes 122 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: you back and and and and it might be I mean, 123 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 1: God help you. Of schnitzel is what you eat every day. 124 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: So it's so it's something that is also a treat. 125 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: It's something you don't normally have, and then when you 126 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: do have it, it comes in with all this cultural 127 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 1: and personal resonance. It's true if you are reaching out 128 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: for a blood sausage and you're German heritage, this might 129 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: be just the fix that you need to pick up 130 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: your day. Um. Psychologists call comfort food a social surrogate, 131 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: as as you've already pointed out in different ways. And 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: it's interesting because if you look at studies concerning food 133 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: and comfort you will find a bevy of them. And 134 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: one of the ones that I thought was really interesting 135 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: is a study that had to do with people feeling 136 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: less lonely after just writing about food. Okay, they didn't 137 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: consume anything, and it was specific to comfort food. All right, 138 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: This is the two thousand eleven University of Buffalo study. 139 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: And so they bring in a bunch of people, set 140 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: them down and said, hey, I want you to write 141 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: a little bit about a fight that you had with 142 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: with somebody that the relationship with you. I imagine that 143 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: most of these are gonna involve like previous relationships or 144 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: current spouses that kind of thing, uh, current girlfriend's boyfriends, etcetera. 145 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: So they write about this painful, awkward, or traumatic episode 146 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: and then put your pencils down now six minutes later, 147 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: six minutes later, and now let's flip over the page, 148 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: and I want you to write to start right about 149 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: about some some comfort foods and about the fried chicken 150 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: or the blood sauzage or whatever it may be, right 151 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: about some food. Yeah, that's right. Some people were asked 152 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: to write about comfort food while other people were asked 153 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: to write about a new food experience. Right. So obviously 154 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: you see right there, the new food experience doesn't have 155 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: all the sorts of emotional attachments to it because it's 156 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: a new experience that's not related back to mom or childhood. So, 157 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: of course, what do you think the results were? Uh, 158 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: the results are probably going to be the comfort food 159 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: is the one that really makes the difference in most 160 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: of these. Yeah, that's right. What they did is they 161 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: took all of the participants took a test after they 162 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: wrote about food when they filled out this questionnaire about loneliness. 163 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: It was found that the comfort food, just thinking about 164 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: it and writing about it helped those people to self 165 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: adjust their moods. Now, there's an important caveat here, and 166 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: that is that, uh, generally, the individuals who were aided 167 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: by the food, they were in a more or less 168 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: good relationship that they just had some some either fighting 169 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: in the past or or just a little you know, 170 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 1: fighting in the present. So it's not a situation where 171 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: you're going through like you just murdered your spouse the 172 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: night before and then for some reason you came in 173 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: to do this study and you thought about mashed potatoes 174 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: and it fixed everything. No, not not quite. It's not 175 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: that powerful. But certainly if you're like, oh, I really 176 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: love my wife, but we we just we keep fighting 177 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: over what color of the carpet should be. I think 178 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: it should be hot pink. She thinks it should be 179 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: neon green. We can't come to a decision. We keep 180 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: fighting mashed potatoes. Oh what was I What was I 181 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: upset about? Well, and I think it's just interesting because 182 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: we've talked about this before, but how just thinking about 183 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: things can really change your brain. And we talked about 184 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: this before, even in writers who are writing about their 185 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: characters and people who are reading of novels that they're 186 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: mirror neurons began to activate as though they were throwing 187 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 1: the ball or they were running to to escape someone. So, UM, 188 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: what I started to think about is that's really powerful 189 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: because a lot of these comfort foods involve fat. And 190 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: there's another study that actually looks at fatty foods and 191 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: moods and this was UH in the Netherlands, and what 192 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: they were doing is they were taking twelve healthy individuals 193 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: and they all underwent four forty minute fmr I tests 194 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: while listening to music or viewing pictures that induced sad emotions. Now, 195 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: at the same time, all of these participants received an 196 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: infusion of either sailing or fatty acids directly into their stomachs. 197 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: This is where that the experiment really goes off the rails, 198 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: because the other one it's like, Oh, you're writing something 199 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: and thinking about food or or I can imagine signing 200 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: up for the study and thinking, oh, or they're just 201 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: gonna show at me like a large Vontarier film and 202 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: then feed me some mashur tases. But no, they're going 203 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: to pump something directly into my stomach after I watch it. 204 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: That's in addition to the large Montreier. Yeah yeah, but 205 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: what kind of movie theater is that? Yeah? Yeah, I 206 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: wonder if they did show Melancolio through them, because that 207 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: would be a really great film to try to and 208 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: induce sadness. I have to say, um, but all all 209 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: of the participants had completed a twelve hour fast, so 210 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: they came with empty stomachs, and they had no idea 211 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: what it was that was being put into their stomachs. Okay, 212 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: So the results indicated that subjects who received the fatty 213 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: infusion were less sad when viewing sad pictures or listening 214 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: to sad music. And then the fmm f m r 215 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I tests confirmed fewer neural responses to sadness in several 216 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:21,679 Speaker 1: areas of the brain in this group. Wow. Again, I'm 217 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: still overwhelmed just by the weirdness of the experiment though. 218 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: But but I guess it was important because they wanted 219 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: to cut out the actual eating of the food, and 220 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, maybe they just really wanted to pump 221 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: stuff directly into the gut. Well, and what they were 222 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: also trying to do is to say, hey, there's it's 223 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: not just the mind body link. It is the body 224 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 1: mind link. And we've talked about this before in our 225 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: podcast about whether or not our guts are really our 226 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: second brains, right, And then of course when we're they 227 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: really wanted to look at the nutritional intake and when 228 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: you eat food. I mean, it's a no brainer, but 229 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: there's a lot going on. It's about it's about smelling 230 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: the food that you're eating. It's about the texture. I 231 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: mentioned mashed potatoes, and it's true a lot of a 232 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: lot of the comfort foods you encounter, it's like a 233 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: cream me kind of consistency to it. Um. I mean, 234 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: some people may have beef jerky as a comfort food, 235 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: that's great, but a lot of comfort foods are kind 236 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 1: of like a smooth, easy to eat kind of a thing. 237 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: And again just having a story about that food as well. 238 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: You can circumvent that by just pumping stuff directly into 239 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: the stomach. It's also worth noting on that two thousand 240 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: eleven University of Buffalo study, they also had another experiment 241 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: where they found that eating chicken soup in the lab 242 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: made people think more about relationships. If they consider chicken 243 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: soup to be a comfort food, which again comes down 244 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: to my argument that chicken soup, even when it's really good, 245 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: isn't really great because it's chicken soup. That's all about 246 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: the idea of it. Because like when I think of 247 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: chicken soup, I think of I'm I was, I'm feeling bad, 248 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: I'm feeling I mean, you know, I'm under the weather, 249 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: and like my mom makes me chicken soup. It's like 250 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: it's the you can taste the love, right, It's somebody 251 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 1: making the time, taking the time to make this dish. 252 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: That is all about please get better and feel better 253 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: because someone loves you. And I feel the same way, 254 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: like when my wife makes it for me when I 255 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 1: whenever i'm ill. You know what's funny about that is 256 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: my mom doesn't cook, never really has cooked. So but 257 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: I have the same feelings about chicken soup even though 258 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 1: I don't consume it now because she make it. No, 259 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, I can look at a can 260 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: of Campbell's, I feel a little warm cockles in the 261 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: heart there. Well yeah, well, you know I think my 262 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: mom I could be wrong in this, and I'm sure 263 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: she'll correct me when she hears this, But I think 264 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: it would like she would do like canned chicken soup 265 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: as well, because I mean she was busy as you did. 266 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: I'm trying to make a bunch of you know, who 267 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: has time to make like chicken stock from scratch in 268 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: this day in war and day and age. But I'm 269 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: pretty sure that was canned as well. But still it 270 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: was this was a thing that you had when you 271 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: were sick, and if you had it and then somebody 272 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: loved you enough to at least open a can. And 273 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: that was the truth, not boiled down the chicken carcass 274 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: for hours and create fresh chicken stock. Hey man, she 275 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: she did many other things, I would say to help 276 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: me feel better. And I should also mention that, alright. 277 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: The eleven University of Bubble study, you mentioned the distinction 278 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: between people writing about new food experiences and people writing 279 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: about food experiences that they had all this comfort and 280 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: all these creations for. But in some cases you do 281 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 1: encounter people's comfort foods that are associated with new discoveries, 282 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: because ultimately, like food is his very personal and also 283 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: kind of selfish thing, you know, So in some cases 284 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: it will be something that that we see as a 285 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: personal discovery. One of the articles I was looking at. 286 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: I think it was a psychology today they mentioned, um, 287 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: the writer's husband went crazy for Sharako, like Sharaka on anything, 288 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: it was a comfort food. Um. And certainly you get 289 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: some spicy and some sweet in there, and sharak is amazing. 290 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: But it's his whole thing was that this was something 291 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: he had discovered, This was something that was totally totally 292 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: him and didn't necessarily have a connection with with his 293 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: upbringing or his past. No, he just discovered that it 294 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: was making the reward part of his brain go ding 295 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: ding ding, really because he was getting a little bit 296 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: euphoric with a spice there. Um. And I also think 297 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: that too with new experiences and food. You know, you'll 298 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: pin that a lot of times to travel. So you know, 299 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: sometimes I'll think about things that I've eaten and I 300 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: will elevate them to the highest level because I think, oh, 301 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: that have that in Italy or whatever, and it may 302 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: not even actually be that great. Yeah, but you still, 303 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: again it comes down to why pump this stuff directly 304 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: into the the test subject stomach, Because again, food comes 305 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: to us with a story, food comes as to us 306 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: with a smell, with a texture, and all of these 307 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: things that go beyond near nutrition, and what we're talking 308 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: about here too is really gaming a sense of comfort. 309 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: Of course, there is the food industry which is really 310 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: interesting in this idea of tweaking moods through food. At 311 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Karina Martinez 312 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: Majorga presented the latest findings from her ongoing study of 313 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: the effect of various food flavors on mood. And it 314 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: turns out that molecules in chocolate, a variety of berries, 315 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: and then foods containing Omega three fatty acids positively affect mood. 316 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: Um it was found, and this is really interesting. It 317 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: was found that the chemical components of these food flavors 318 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: are structurally similar to something called valporic acid, and this 319 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: is the primary ingredient. It's several pharmaceutical mood stabilizers. Of course. 320 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: The research was supported in part by a food flavor company, 321 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: France based uh Roberte uh Flavors, and the scientists say 322 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: that food industry companies are joining pharmaceutical companies in the 323 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: quest for natural mood boosters. So they're not intending this 324 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: as a replacement for you know, for treating clinical depression, 325 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: but they are saying like, maybe this could give you 326 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: a little extra pep in your step, right, I mean, well, 327 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: certainly there are a lot of fine arguments out there 328 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: that that a lot of problems with health and even 329 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: mental health um to a certain degree, can be treated 330 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: through a proper diet and an informed diet. But again, yeah, 331 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: I think of what comfort foods tend to be. They 332 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: didn't be soft, They can't be sweet, smooth, salty, and 333 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: uh like we mentioned sugar and starch. They spur serotonin, 334 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: your transmitter known to increase a sense of well being, 335 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: like prozac. Um Salty foods for oxytocin, the cuttle chemical 336 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: that we talk about a lot that we also get 337 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: from hugs and orgasm. So you know that's that's that 338 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: explains the saltiness there. Um fat is a good bomb 339 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: for the fear of starvation. So again we think back 340 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: to our naked caveman running through the Sengetti chase by 341 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: savor tooth tigers, the scenario that may or may not 342 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: actually pan out. Actually I mean on that too much, 343 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 1: but but still the idea that on a very primal level, 344 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: we are creatures that are having to run fast to 345 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: get away from something or run fast to catch something. 346 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: We need the energy, we need the fat. So that's 347 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: why the fat is such a bomb for fear we're 348 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: not gonna starve, if we're not going to be eaten 349 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: on a very primitive level. You know that drives home well. 350 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: And you know, it's interesting that you mentioned the fat 351 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: because it takes me back to the podcast that we 352 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: did on gluttony and all of that research about how 353 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: when we lose weight, our body actually begins to game 354 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: the body to to try to get back at the 355 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: old level because of this fear of losing fat. And 356 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: in fact, people who lose I think it was something 357 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: like of their body weight have to exercise even harder 358 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: than their counterpart who didn't lose weight, but they weigh 359 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 1: the same amount um simply because the body won't burn 360 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: as many calories because again it wants to get back 361 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 1: to that set weight that it knows, and it also 362 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: begins to crave more fatty foods. Yeah, and we've, as 363 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: we've discussed before and as a and as countless food 364 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: documentaries point out, we live in an age now where 365 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: all the fat you want just walk down to the 366 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: storm by all of the salty you want i'll sweet 367 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: you want. Generally, all these things are actually available in 368 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: one bag at your local fast food restaurant. But of 369 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: course we didn't evolve into that scenario. You know, that's 370 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: not that's not the natural availability of these various elements. Yeah. 371 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: I actually saw something the other day. It was it 372 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: was about weight loss and a group of people who 373 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: had lost weight, and it said we'll work for less food. 374 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: And I thought, well, if that's not a commentary on 375 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: the abundance of food in the world right now, as 376 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: well as a commentaryans mother stuff, I don't know what 377 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: is um. Then again, we're talking about this concept of 378 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: gaming comfort, and you guys out there are probably familiar 379 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 1: with this study because I think it got a lot 380 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: of play, But this idea that comfort also comes externally 381 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 1: so and actually affects our moods in ways that we 382 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,880 Speaker 1: might just make favorable decisions about others. And what I'm 383 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 1: talking about is um the warm Mug of liquid study. 384 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: Do you know when I'm talking about where the participants 385 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: were given a warm mug of coffee, I believe to 386 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: hold just for a few moments and to think about 387 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: someone that they may not have particularly have warm feelings 388 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: about but talk about them as they were holding the 389 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: warm cup. And then participants were given uh an iced 390 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: coffee to hold. Okay, so now they were holding something 391 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: that's cold. And so turns out that those people who 392 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: held the months of hot Joe, we're much more likely 393 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 1: to perceive others as having warmer personality traits. Well, this 394 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: is it. Basically, this is the hot coco phenomenon here 395 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: because with hot cocoa, well, first of all, you getting 396 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: that chocolate that's sweets, so you're you're turning on some 397 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,360 Speaker 1: various neuro transmitters there. Uh. Some people like like their 398 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: their hot chocolate little salty, so you've got that going on, uh, 399 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: giving you a little little oxy cocin. And then of 400 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: course it is a warm mug of goodness that you're 401 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: having generally with friends or family or loved ones while 402 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: you're interacting with them. So it tends to uh to 403 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: color an even warmer interpersonal relationship. Well, and you know, 404 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: it could be anybody that in this this study, which 405 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: is really interesting, they got to be talking about co worker, 406 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: They could be talking about their neighbor, or they could 407 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: be talking about a family member. And this is one 408 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: of those examples that neuroscientists David Eagleman talks about when 409 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: he questions whether or not we actually have free will. 410 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: And what I mean is that if a warm mug 411 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: of coffee subconsciously makes you feel better about the person 412 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,400 Speaker 1: you're talking to while you're holding the coffee, um, than 413 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: what sort of decisions might follow after that interaction or 414 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: during that interaction. Well, this, this reminds me, actually reminds 415 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: me of times where we've dragged our recorder Matt in here, 416 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:24,159 Speaker 1: our editor, producer, director general, awesome m a man of 417 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: our times, and sometimes we drag him in a a ridiculous 418 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: hours to try and get an episode recorded. And sometimes 419 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: you'll you'll give him coffee and I thought you were 420 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 1: just being nice, but you were manipulating him by giving 421 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: him this warm beverage so that he can't help but 422 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: think will warm thoughts than about us and not hate 423 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: us for dragging him in it like five in the morning. 424 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: Thanks for taking that down, man, No, really it was. 425 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: It's all coming from my heart, my warm, warm heart. 426 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: But still, this is a good This is a good 427 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: trick that we should all exploit in our lives. You're 428 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 1: going in for a tough meeting or you want to 429 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: just go for a job interview, bring some hot coffee, 430 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: some hot coco something and some hot tea, anything that'll 431 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: that'll get the room warm. And do not let that 432 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: job interview take place outside on a November day. Okay. 433 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: So if you doubt this idea that a warm beverage 434 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: or even just the warmth itself doesn't affect how we feel, um, 435 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: consider a study by Harry Harlow involving primates. Oh yes, 436 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: this is the great one where they it was with maccaques, 437 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: I believe, and and you've seen the photos because there terrifying, depressing, 438 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: depressing where they have the baby macaques and they're they're 439 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: they're given the choice of two or they tested out 440 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: in two different environments. One there's this metal framework mother 441 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: that that is there to distribute milk through a nipple, right, 442 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: and it's just this metal framework. And then there there's 443 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: nothing monkey is about it. Ye vaguely monkey shaped, I 444 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: guess if you really want to get creative. But for 445 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: the most part it's like metal thing with a nipple 446 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: that feeds baby monkey. But then then the other part 447 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: of the test is cover that with fur and you 448 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: have a sort of fake monkey with a nipple. It's 449 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: it's soft, it's vaguely monkey ish, but it's covered in fur. 450 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 1: And which one do you think the macaques prefer? Now? 451 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: This one that had the fur. The cloth was heated 452 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: with a light bulb as well. Yes, yes, so it's 453 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: not soft and furry but warm. So the surrogate that 454 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: gets the most play is, of course the one that 455 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: has the light bulb in it. Yeah, because it turns 456 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: out that the baby maccaques, although they would run and 457 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: they would get the milk from the other surrogate when 458 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: they were really hungry, they prefer to spend time with 459 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: the warm surrogate and cling to it, which tells you 460 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: that there's there's something just inherent to this feeling of 461 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: warmth and comfort and our ability to survive. And it 462 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: reminds me of of a study you sent me as 463 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: we were looking into this podcast as well about the 464 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: whole cold hands warm heart thing, which I commit I'd 465 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: never heard that saying, but apparently it's a saying cold hands, 466 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: warm heart. There's a song too, really, but I can't remember, 467 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: but it comes on her system every once in a while. Okay, well, 468 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 1: but the idea is, if if I guess if you 469 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: shake hands with somebody has a really cold hand, it's 470 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: okay because it means their heart is so warm, they're 471 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: so full of warmth in their heart they can love 472 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: for their fellow man. That is actually affecting blood flow 473 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: to their to their limbs apparently, which I've never heard 474 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 1: because because it sounds ridiculous to me, because it sounds 475 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 1: like people with cold fish hands. This is like propaganda 476 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: they put out, you know, like like C. E. O 477 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 1: S and whatnot, where they're like, oh, people think I'm 478 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: I'm horrible just because my hand is a piece of 479 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: impersonal ice that I shove it people. Uh, maybe we 480 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: should get some some some data out there that the opposite. 481 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: We don't normally, um shake, but I think we should 482 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: right now. The hand is cold. So everything you just 483 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: describe my friend is me. And I will tell you 484 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: that even before I knew him, at the song cold heart, 485 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: cold heart, warm hands, I used to say to my husband, 486 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: cold heart, warm hands. Um. So it turns out you 487 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: were wrong in science, is there because because because in 488 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: the study they actually looked into it too. I was 489 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: in an eight researchers, Lawrence Williams and John bra They 490 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 1: actually debunked this and then found that that physical warmth 491 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: activates concepts of interpersonal warmth. And it's very much in 492 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: keeping with the whole iron mother fury warm mother scenario. 493 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: I know, I know, so it boils down to actually 494 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 1: pour circulation for me um. But but I thought it 495 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: was interesting because I think that in the article, the 496 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: question was whether or not people would perceive your handshake, 497 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,640 Speaker 1: your your cold, dead handshake as is in a negative 498 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 1: light and then inform their feelings about you that way, 499 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: much in the way that the mug of warm coffee 500 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: made people feel friendlier. Couldn't do the opposite. So here's 501 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: another idea to game the system. Next time you go 502 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: into a job interview or whatnot, if you know that 503 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: you have the cold hands, or even just to be 504 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: on the safe side, do a little palm rubbing there, 505 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: get it all warmed up, and then then impress them 506 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: with your loving handshake. That's what I do before I 507 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: hugged my daughter so that she doesn't run in terror 508 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: from me. We should probably take a break when we 509 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: get back. We're going to talk about automating comfort. All right, 510 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 1: we're back. So we were talking about about the experiment 511 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 1: with maccaques about the the iron mother that's cold and 512 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 1: loveless and the the lightbulb powered furry mother that all 513 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: the little maccaques go crazy for. And of course we've 514 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: discussed this a little bit in the past. We've talked 515 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: about robots. Yeah, we've talked about robots hugging you. And 516 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 1: the reason is is because hugging is obviously very comforting. 517 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: In fact, one study showed that when people engage in 518 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 1: a hug for twenty seconds or longer, that actually reduces 519 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: their courters all levels, their stress levels pretty significantly. And 520 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: this is why you you said you always hold your 521 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: husband in for twenty seconds, like count to twenty and 522 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 1: don't let him escape until you hit twenty, Yeah, which 523 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: he kind of tries to wriggle from, but then he 524 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 1: lovingly submits to my embrace. But yeah, this is a 525 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,679 Speaker 1: really quick life hack. So of course, what do we 526 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: do whenever we we are trying to figure out something 527 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: that we do human wise, we look through the robots 528 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: to see if we can do something similar. And there's 529 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: something called the hug shirt, which I believe we've talked 530 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 1: about before. This is a bluetooth enabled shirt made by 531 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: the UK's cute circuit and it uses embedded sensors and 532 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,959 Speaker 1: actuators to simulate a hug. Yes, so you can get 533 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 1: the same effect. Um, there is the Hug machine, which 534 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: was designed by Temple Grandon and um that is a 535 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: deep pressure device designed to calm hyper sensitive people. Yes, 536 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: and that's so, by the way, the Temple grand In movie, 537 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: great movie. I highly recommend that. Yeah, that is really great. 538 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: I can who's the actress who played that, Um, Claire Danes, right, yeah, 539 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: who a lot of you know from Homeland. She's yeah, yeah, 540 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 1: she did a phenomenal job in that. Um. So there 541 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: are these different ways that we have tried to create 542 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: the hug. But what do you do if you're beyond 543 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,400 Speaker 1: the hug, if you're in a situation where you are 544 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: actually taking the last breaths of life and you need comfort. 545 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: Well a few of possibilities come to mind, self hug, 546 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: which may not be possible, and that might not actually 547 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: work because generally the self hug is something you do 548 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,199 Speaker 1: just to convince other people that you're making out with 549 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: somebody when your tent right. Uh. And then I guess 550 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: you could if you had like say that, you could 551 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: if you had a pet python. You could unleash the 552 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: python on you in those final moments because get a 553 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 1: combination of things there, embrace quick demise and uh, and 554 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: then you also ultimately feed a giant snake. But but 555 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: you're probably but what you're getting at here, I'm sure, 556 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: is that we should have a robot that that enters 557 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: into the scenario, that enters the room of our dying 558 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: and actually tends to our final emotional needs. Yep. This 559 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: is the Last Moment Bought or the end of life 560 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: care machine, which was made by artist in designer Dan Chin. 561 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: He made this because he wanted to try to present 562 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:07,239 Speaker 1: an extreme example of a world where machines fill in 563 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: for humans. And now keep in mind too that we've 564 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: talked about caregiving robots, so that art, this is his 565 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: idea is is I'm going to create some art that's 566 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: going to generate discussion. It's still very much in keeping 567 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: with stuff that's going on today because we've talked about 568 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: robots that are being designed to help elderly people around, 569 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: to help them use the restroom, and not only the 570 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: elder really, but injured individuals as well, to care for 571 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: them in a hospital environment. So it's art, but it's 572 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: it's like all great art. It has a lot of 573 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: ties into our real current position and our near future reality. 574 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:45,239 Speaker 1: Um it is Uh, I think the robot in the 575 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: art installation is incredibly depressing. Yes, well that's your argument. 576 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 1: I I interpreted it differently. Um, and we should we 577 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: should describe what. Um. So, you're dying, all right, You're 578 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: in this hospital room by yourself. That's important to note here. 579 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 1: You're in this room by yourself, and then in your 580 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: your your signs are being monitored by this machine. And 581 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: suddenly it realizes that you or your death is imminent. 582 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: So what happens. It turns on the last moment robot 583 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: and it wheels itself over to you there and you're 584 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: you're soon to be deathbed and and what does it do? Well, 585 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: first of all, it actually embraces you a little bit. 586 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: There are some hug mechanics that go on. It kind 587 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: of looks like it's rolling dough out of your arm. 588 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: But the idea is that it's supposed to feel like 589 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: like an embrace, like somebody's roping your arm. But now 590 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: we're talking about this plastic kind of arm thing. It doesn't. 591 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: There's nothing very human looking about it. It's all about 592 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: the sensation. And then the robot actually speaks to you. 593 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 1: The robots says, I am the last Moment Robot. I 594 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,239 Speaker 1: am here to help you and guide you through your 595 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: last moment on Earth. I am sorry that your family 596 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: and friends can't be with you right now, but don't 597 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: be afraid. I am here to comfort you. You're not alone. 598 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: You are with me. Your family and friends love you 599 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: very much. They will remember you after you are gone. Sucker, No, 600 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: it actually kind of sounded like how For a second there, 601 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: I was going for a little bit of how, a 602 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: little bit of David. Yeah, okay, so what what do 603 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: you find comforting about that? Okay? So I actually like 604 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: just reading that, like I feel my heart strings. Kind 605 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: of not reading it out loud because it makes it 606 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: sound like I really love the son of my own voice, 607 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: but just reading it on the page. When I first 608 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: read the article about this piece, it connected with me, 609 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: you know, because I'm because it actually reminds me. I 610 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: mentioned Boards of Canada earlier. The UK Electronic do a 611 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: do a lot of very nostalgic, ethereal sounding electronic idem soundscapes. 612 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: They have a track called an Eagle in Your Mind 613 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: off the album music Has the Right Has the Right 614 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: to Children, and it's it's kind of a kind of 615 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: a somber piece at first, and then it and then 616 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: it picks up and there's a voice sample in there 617 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: where it's kind of a computer e voice. It says 618 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: I love you. And every time I hear that, even 619 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 1: though I know it's just a sample, there's something about 620 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: it where I'm like, oh, somebody loves me, you know 621 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: it like it it's still connects with you. And I 622 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: got that same feeling from from reading and in the 623 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: video hearing the last moment robots final words to the dying. 624 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 1: Even though it's just some sort of speech to text 625 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: kind of scenario going on there, it's still I feel 626 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: like it's still resonates with you, you know, Okay, I 627 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: understand that abstractly, but I still feel like it's such 628 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: a personal thing and you want to feel connected, right 629 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: because if you're drawing your last breaths here on earth, 630 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: wouldn't you want to feel as though you were somehow 631 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: pinned to the center of it in some way through 632 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: another person, through someone's eyes. To see the light go 633 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: out in someone's eyes is just an incredibly personal thing. 634 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: So I mean, you make it sound like it's it's 635 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: to be like it needs to like find a dying 636 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: person today and go look into their eyes when they die. 637 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: Oh no, no, no, no, I don't breathing their soul 638 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:00,479 Speaker 1: and it's wonderful. Know What I mean is for the 639 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 1: person who is dying, for the person or persons who 640 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 1: are losing this person, it's uh to me, my mind 641 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: would be preferable to have the human connection. Okay, well, 642 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: I would imagine the human connection is ideal. Certainly, if 643 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: I were given the choice between saying goodbye or being 644 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: or or having a loved one tell me goodbye on 645 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: my death bed and a robot, I would probably go 646 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: with the human Uh. Though it should be said, at 647 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: least the robots keeping it together here, the robots like 648 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 1: a saint. The robots like a like a priest giving 649 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 1: you last riots that's done this many times before and 650 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: can at least fake being sincere about it while also 651 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: not losing it because you know you don't want you 652 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: also don't want the robot. There's probably not a setting 653 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: for the for the last moment robot where it just 654 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: loses it and it's like, oh, please, don't die and well, 655 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 1: maybe there is, because you know, if that were, if 656 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: that were to actually come to fruition, they would obviously 657 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 1: the people who created the robot would want to try 658 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: to simulate the experience so that you could draw as 659 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: much comfort from And some people might draw comfort from 660 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: the because the message of the robot, it's pretty straight. 661 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 1: But it's like, hey, you're dying. It's cool. Everyone does this. 662 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: You had a good life, everyone loved you, and now 663 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 1: it's time to turn it off. Yea, I'm just saying 664 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 1: I would feel jipped. I'd be like, really, you're the 665 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 1: last thing that I see. But but if the alternative, though, 666 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: think of if the alternative, though, is dying in a 667 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 1: room by yourself, or being vaguely attended to by an 668 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 1: overworked caregiver who may or may not be able to 669 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 1: muster some fake enthusiasm or legitimate enthusiasm. Enthusiasm isn't the 670 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: right word, um, compassion for for your last moments, then 671 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: I can see that the robot is being the preferred method. Okay, true, true. Um. 672 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: Here's one situation that I will get behind, though, and 673 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:47,879 Speaker 1: this is this idea that you could seek a virtual psychologist. 674 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: And we've actually mentioned this before, but NASA in their 675 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: program called the Virtual Space Station Psychologist just came out 676 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 1: of It's for Your Pilot program to try to U 677 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: have some of their participants really reach out to this 678 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,399 Speaker 1: virtual psychologist and gain some self help care. Yeah, it's 679 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 1: um It's essentially the idea we're talking about here is 680 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: you're on a long distance space journey, or you're in 681 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 1: space for a while. You may or may not. Maybe 682 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: you're alone. Maybe you're dealing with a small group of people, 683 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: but as we've discussed before, that's a very intimate environment, 684 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: and also you're dealing with a lot of biological funk 685 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: that's gonna be going on. Is your body adjust a 686 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:29,760 Speaker 1: life in a semi waitless environment and the best cases 687 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,320 Speaker 1: being locked away with a group of people's gonna get old. 688 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 1: But then throw in a lot of vomit and it's 689 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: just gonna get worse. So maybe you have a laptop 690 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: in a room. It's kind of like the confessional room 691 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: you know in all the reality shows where you go 692 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 1: in and you uh, either you talk to this thing 693 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: you actually have some back and forth interaction, or perhaps 694 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: it's more like a questionnaire multiple choice, like how are 695 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: you doing today? A for great, B for okay, or 696 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: C four I want to launch Carl out of the 697 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: airlock and uh, And then the the machine will ask 698 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: you why do you want to launch Carl out of 699 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,719 Speaker 1: the airlock, and you're like, well, he's been I feel 700 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 1: like he's just been kind of cold recently, and I'm 701 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: reaching out to you know. A part of it is like, 702 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,360 Speaker 1: let's get the astronaut actually processing some of this instead 703 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: of it said they're just brooding inside you. And then 704 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:20,759 Speaker 1: also it could consuerably launch some some tips grounded in 705 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: actual psychology at you give you some text to read 706 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,719 Speaker 1: about what you're feeling or what you should be feeling. Yeah, 707 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 1: the idea is that these virtual psychologists provide a problem 708 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 1: solving treatment. And so I'm not discounting, you know, flesh psychologist, 709 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:36,879 Speaker 1: because I think there are many, many talented ones. But 710 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: some of the success that I think that happens in 711 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: UM therapy is that it's the talking Here. It's a 712 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 1: lot of people sort of talking through the problems and 713 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 1: in doing so finding areas that they need to work 714 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,479 Speaker 1: on or areas that they can find solutions for. Because 715 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: if you've ever been if you've been to a therapist, 716 00:36:55,719 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 1: and U, and I highly recommend it if you if 717 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 1: you're even considering it, if you think maybe if you 718 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:03,240 Speaker 1: go to a therapist for this, then do seriously consider 719 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 1: because it can be very helpful. But there's certainly there 720 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 1: are times where you might find yourself thinking, hey, this 721 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: isn't like on TV. This person is not telling me 722 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:11,560 Speaker 1: how to solve my problems. A lot of this is 723 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: me talking through it and someone nodding and writing something 724 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:17,879 Speaker 1: down and interjecting a little bit. It's easy for people 725 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: to make fun of that and belittle it and say, 726 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:21,399 Speaker 1: like I I was just need doing all the work, 727 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:25,800 Speaker 1: But that's kind of what's happening. It facilitates you actually 728 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: working through what you're feeling. Well, and ideally these this 729 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 1: program would have this sort of UM great sophisticated feedback 730 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: that you might get from from a human psychologist. UM 731 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,839 Speaker 1: in the works. You know, hopefully this will be something 732 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 1: that will come online later. But I did want to 733 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: mention that twenty nine current and former astronauts have been 734 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: consulted for the project and the trial has shown pretty 735 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: good results in treating depression. And this is according to 736 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: James Cartraine. He's a clinical psychologist at Harvard Medical School 737 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,440 Speaker 1: and uh, future test with firefighters and e m t 738 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:00,799 Speaker 1: s could help launch a more wide bread use of 739 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 1: the self help software and eventually bring it to the public. Yeah. 740 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: And just a quick example from real life of actual 741 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: interpersonal tension causing problems for space flights. In a mission 742 00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:17,800 Speaker 1: on Russia's Solute seven space station was scrapped after colleagues 743 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:20,399 Speaker 1: noticed the commander seemed uninterested in his work and spent 744 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: hours looking out of the window on the ship. And 745 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 1: in three years earlier mission on the same station was 746 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 1: somewhat hampered by tension between two astronauts, so also maybe 747 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: it was haunted. I don't know that that could be 748 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:35,320 Speaker 1: a possible as well. Uh but no, I mean, I 749 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: guess that underscores the reason why you need to have 750 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 1: people feel as good as they can up there on 751 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:45,439 Speaker 1: their missions, because obviously a lot of things could go wrong, 752 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:47,879 Speaker 1: all right. So there you go a little a little 753 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,160 Speaker 1: insight into comfort and what it is is it certainly 754 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:53,719 Speaker 1: as you're seeking out comfort this holiday season or the next, 755 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: or just after a tough day at the office or 756 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:58,399 Speaker 1: break up or whatever. Because we didn't even mention ice 757 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 1: cream after a breakup. It I mean that's another motif 758 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: that you run. You never did that. I don't understand 759 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 1: that because it is cold, yeah, but it's but it's 760 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: also fatty and sweet cold comfort yea. So I want 761 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 1: to leave that with just a couple of quotes here 762 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: about comfort and about our our search for comfort in life. 763 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: First of all, here's a little bit from C. S. Lewis. 764 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:22,600 Speaker 1: He said, if you look for truth, you may find 765 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 1: comfort in the end. If you look for comfort, you 766 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:28,400 Speaker 1: will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap 767 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end despair. 768 00:39:32,239 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 1: And then our good buddy Aristotle said, we live in deeds, 769 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: not years, in thoughts, not breaths, in feelings, not in 770 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,879 Speaker 1: figures on a dial. We should not count time by 771 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 1: heart throbs. He most lives, who thinks, most feels, the noblest, 772 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:53,800 Speaker 1: acts the best. So there you have it. Comfort food. 773 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,400 Speaker 1: Why it matters to us what's going on when we 774 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: eat it while we keep coming back to it, and 775 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,080 Speaker 1: what is it doing to our bodies? Indeed, uh, if 776 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:02,759 Speaker 1: you want to share your favorite comfort food with us, 777 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 1: we would love to hear it, because we have a 778 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 1: whole litany of comfort things ourselves, and you can do 779 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 1: that by emailing us that blow the mind at how 780 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:14,080 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com for more on this and thousands 781 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: of other topics. Is it how stuff works dot com.