Science has a reputation problem. Everybody thinks of “science” as being off in some laboratory, where guys in white labcoats are pouring liquid into vials. Or they see a big room with a telescope and a lot of machines with blinking lights.
But science is everywhere. It is in our phones, our kitchens, our bars, our bathtubs, even in our relationships.
Let’s start with our phones and their batteries. That little percentage isn’t a simple fuel gauge. It’s an educated guess made by algorithms. These algorithms track temperature, usage patterns, and battery chemistry. Did you know that cold weather makes your phone “die” faster? It happens because their chemical reactions slow down. So keep your phone cozy warm for better battery life.
Speaking of phones. It might play music if you tell it to. And sometimes a certain song gets in our brains and gets stuck. We start hearing “Sweeet Caroline, BAH, BAH, BAH….” over and over again. Well, those earworms are a brain glitch. Believe it or not, our auditory cortexes love repetition and incomplete musical phrases. Catchy songs leave “open loops” in our brains. As such, our brains keep trying to resolve the pattern. “Sweeeeet Caroline…”
Okay. Don’t be mad at me for that. Instead, go smell some fresh bread. Apparently, the smell of baked goods triggers dopamine and serotonin release. Both of these chemicals are tied to comfort and safety in humans. Studies show people are more generous, patient, and trusting in spaces that smell like bread or cookies. That’s why everyone is so happy at bakeries. Of course, the donuts might have something to do with it, too.
So. Bread makes us happy. Some people believe that alcohol makes them happy. I’m not so sure about that. However, there are other alcohol-related conditions. It is the long-believed idea of “beer goggles.” Alcohol, we’re told, makes everyone look better. We know the old jokes about that one.
But research suggests otherwise. People don’t suddenly find different faces attractive when drinking. What changes is their boldness. Alcohol doesn’t alter our taste in someone’s prettiness. Instead, it lowers hesitation. In other words, alcohol gives us liquid courage, not distorted vision.
And finally. Some thoughts on a different kind of liquid. Water. We love water too. Many people love to be in it. And when we do? We get those wrinkly fingers after a long soak. Here is the thing. It’s not just waterlogged skin. It’s our nervous systems at work. When our skin is in water, we experience a narrowing of the blood vessels. Our bodies do this to create grooves that improve our grip. It is another evolutionary trick that we do to ourselves. Our hands aren’t just shriveling. They’re adapting.
So there it is. Science in our everyday lives. It isn’t just about labs and beakers. It’s right here. In our kitchens. In our beer bottles. Even in our bananas.
More good science to know and understand.
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“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” — Carl Sagan
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“Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity.” — Tim Minchin
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“The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson
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