For this week's Ask Science Mike, we address the following questions: Why does it feel better when someone else scratches you? Can you explain quantized space? How does authoritarianism affect the brain? Is it bad to fall in love?

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Here are some resources on each answer if you'd like to dig deeper.

Why does it feel better when someone else scratches you?

Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?

Tempted To Touch: The 'Social Softness Illusion' Makes Other People's Skin Feel Softer So We Can Build Social Bonds

Why We All Need to Touch and Be Touched

Can you explain quantized space?

Black hole thermodynamics

Planck length

TEDxBoulder - Thad Roberts - Visualizing Eleven Dimensions

Brian Greene: Making sense of string theory

How does authoritarianism affect the brain

When Power Goes To Your Head, It May Shut Out Your Heart

On One Hand You’re an Authoritarian, on the Other Hand You’re Not

Authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism, and the human prefrontal cortex

Is it bad to fall in love?

No.

Preproduction by Andrew Galucki.

Ask Science Mike is produced by Gregg Nordin.

The Ask Science Mike theme song was written, performed, and recorded by Jeb Bodiford. If you need original podcast music, he's your guy.

You've got questions, he's got answers.

Even though we may not understand he'll talk anyway.

You've got problems, he won't solve them,

But he'll talk and talk and talk until he's blue in the face.

Science, faith, and life - Ask Science Mike.