Explorers Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah from the Science Channel’s “Unexplained and Unexplored” discuss the surprising roles that maps have played throughout history. You’ll also learn about why people fidget. We're nominated for an award! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ Learn more about Unexplained and Unexplored: UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED First Look | Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/exploration/unexplained-and-unexplored-first-look-pictures UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED: Investigating the Legend of California's Gold Laden Ghost Ship | Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/exploration/investigating-the-legend-of-california-s-gold-laden-ghost-ship Like Science Channel on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/ScienceChannel/ Follow @ScienceChannel on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/sciencechannel/ Follow @ScienceChannel on Facebook — https://twitter.com/ScienceChannel Follow @Justin_Fornal on Twitter — https://twitter.com/Justin_Fornal Follow @EmilianoRuprah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/EmilianoRuprah Additional sources: The surprising science of fidgeting | The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/the-surprising-science-of-fidgeting-7752 Single-trial neural dynamics are dominated by richly varied movements | Nature Neuroscience — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-019-0502-4 Nonexercise muscle tension and behavioral fidgeting are positively correlated with food availability/palatability and body weight in rats | Physiology & Behavior Volume 79, Issue 2, July 2003 — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938403000866
Explorers Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah from the Science Channel’s “Unexplained and Unexplored” discuss the surprising roles that maps have played throughout history. You’ll also learn about why people fidget.
We're nominated for an award! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/
Learn more about Unexplained and Unexplored:
Additional sources:
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/maps-as-weapons-and-art-w-justin-fornal-and-emiliano-ruprah-and-fidgeting-explained
CODY: Hi! We’re here from curiosity-dot-com to help you get smarter in just a few minutes. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, we’ll answer a listener question about whether humans are the only animals that fidget with objects. Then, you’ll learn about the surprising role maps have played throughout history, from special guests Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah.
CODY: Let’s map out some curiosity.
LISTENER QUESTION
ASHLEY: We got a listener question from Bryan, who asks, “Why do humans have a natural tendency to fidget with objects? Do animals practice this behavior as well?” Great question, Bryan!
There’s no single reason scientists can point to for why people fidget, but they do have a few research-backed theories, and they all might be related. The first theory might be the one you’d assume: it’s a way to stave off boredom, or a lack of attention. One study found that students watching a lecture were less attentive over time, and that drop in attention coincided with an increase in fidgeting. Why? Well, scientists think it might actually help bring your attention back to the task at hand, as it did for study participants in 2009 who were allowed to doodle during a boring phone conversation. Another theory says that it reduces stress. Studies that put men in stressful situations have found that the ones who fidgeted more also experienced less stress. (Weirdly, the same wasn’t true for women, and men tend to fidget more than women overall). The final theory is the weirdest: it might keep your weight steady. We’ve talked before about non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, which refers to the calories burned when you’re going about your day. Fidgeting burns calories, and studies have demonstrated that people fidget more when they’ve been eating more calories. Your body wants to stay at the same weight, so it may turn up the squirm to compensate for eating more.
As for animals? You actually hit on a small but very real area of research, albeit one that’s in its early days. For example, there have been studies in mice that linked fidgeting — which they called things like “excess muscle activity” and “uninstructed movements” — to a higher calorie diet, in one, and increased concentration, in another. Japanese macaques are also known for what scientists call “stone handling,” where they take small stones and roll them around or rub them together or just hold them close. These primates actually teach each other to do this, and some researchers suggest it may be a precursor to tool use! Whether that counts as fidgeting, though, is hard to say. Thanks for your question, Bryan! If you have a question, send it in to podcast at curiosity dot com.
Additional sources:
[MOVA GLOBES]
CODY: Today’s episode is sponsored by Mova Globes: rotating globes powered by light.
ASHLEY: If you’re new to this podcast, then you might not know that Cody and I both have Mova Globes, and they’re SO COOL. They’re globes that rotate on their own using ambient light, with hidden magnets that provide movement. The technology is the first of its kind — no batteries or messy cords needed.
CODY: Yeah — and our globes are totally different. I have a political world map on my globe, which shows every nation on Earth colored in with a combination of blue, green, and orange tones.
ASHLEY: And I have a globe of Mars, which uses satellite images from NASA. Elon Musk actually owns the same Mars globe that I have — NO BIG DEAL.
CODY: And there are 40 different designs, including world maps, outer space, and even famous works of art.
ASHLEY: Mova Globes are a great conversation starter, and they make a great gift for the person who has everything.
CODY: Please visit mova-globes-dot-com-slash-curiosity and use coupon code CURIOSITY, that’s C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-Y, for 15 percent off your purchase.
ASHLEY: That’s 15 percent off! One more time, that’s Mova-globes-dot-com-slash-curiosity, code CURIOSITY.
Unexplained and Unexplored #1 — The role of maps over history (2 segments) [3:56] (Cody)
I’m telling you right now, you should care about maps. I dunno if you know this, but I am a HUGE fan of maps. On top of having a Mova Globe in my living room, I have a satellite image map of the world on my bedroom wall, and it’s literally 2 meters tall and 3 meters wide. Yeah, that’s 6 by 9 feet. I’M not gonna try to convince you why maps are cool though, because we have a couple guests who I think will be able to convince you on their own. Justin Fornal [For-NAAL] and Emiliano Ruprah are the hosts of a brand-new show on the Science Channel called “Unexplained and Unexplored.” And in the show, they use historical maps to explore, well… the unexplored! Here’s Justin on the role maps have played throughout history, and why, frankly, they’re so awesome.
[CLIP 3:56]
You can think of maps as art, as intelligence, as WEAPONS, even, in a way. And hopefully the next time you see an old map, you’ll see more than just what’s on them. Think about what it took to make them, and what they were made to help people do. And maybe even follow your curiosity and see where the map leads you. Again, Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah are the hosts of “Unexplained and Unexplored,” which airs Sundays on the Science Channel. In the series premiere last weekend, they found evidence of a 16th-century English ghost ship… in the California desert. I’m serious. You NEVER KNOW where a map might take you.
CODY: Before we wrap up, we wanted to let you know that this is your LAST CHANCE to vote for Curiosity Daily in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards! We’re a finalist for Best Technology & Science Podcast, which we’re SUPER excited about. And if you have a second this weekend, we would be super thankful if you’d vote for us to win.
ASHLEY: Voting closes on Monday, so please visit awards-dot-discoverpods-dot-com and find us in the category of Best Technology & Science Podcast. If you’re on your phone, then you can do it right now!
CODY: Again, that’s awards-dot-discoverpods-dot-com. We’ll also put a link in today’s show notes. And thanks again!
ASHLEY: Okay so what got us excited about today’s episode?
[ad lib optional]
CODY: Today’s scriptwriting was by Ashley Hamer, who’s the managing editor for Curiosity.com.
ASHLEY: Scriptwriting was also by Cody Gough. Today’s episode was produced and edited by Cody Gough.
CODY: Have a great weekend, and join us again Monday to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!