Do you feel happy today? How about happily disgusted? Maybe sadly surprised, or sadly disgusted? Human emotions are complex. But at least they’re the common language that unites us all – except when they don’t. A tribe in Namibia might interpret our expression of fear as one of wonderment. And people with autism don’t feel the emotions that others do.
So if you’re now delightfully but curiously perplexed, tune in and discover the evolutionary reason for laughter … how a computer can diagnose emotional disorders that doctors miss … and why the world’s most famous autistic animal behaviorist has insight into the emotional needs of cattle.
Guests:
Scott Weems – Cognitive scientist, author of Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why
Brian Malow – Science comedian
Aleix Martinez – Cognitive neuroscientist at The Ohio State University
Maria Gendron – Post-doctoral researcher at Northeastern University
Temple Grandin – Professor of animal science, Colorado State University, author of Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals
First released April 21, 2014
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Happily Confused | Big Picture Science podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
