Curious Cases

The Psychic Tear


Listen Later

Listener Edith Calman challenges our scientific sleuths to investigate the following conundrum:

'What is it about extreme pain, emotional shock or the sight of a three year old stumbling their way through an off-key rendition of 'Away in a Manger' that makes the brain send messages to the lacrimal glands to chuck out water?"

Hannah discovers how the eye produces tears, with the help of Dr Nick Knight.

Broadcaster Claudia Hammond, author of 'Emotional Rollercoaster', explains why Darwin experimented on his children until they cried.

Adam watches a tearjerker to take part in a psychological study, but ends up getting quite angry instead.

If you have any everyday mysteries you'd like the team to solve email: [email protected]

Presenters: Hannah Fry, Adam Rutherford

Producer: Michelle Martin.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Curious CasesBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

738 ratings


More shows like Curious Cases

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,875 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

527 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

854 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,073 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

296 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,571 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,095 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,968 Listeners

No Such Thing As A Fish by No Such Thing As A Fish

No Such Thing As A Fish

4,872 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

480 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

408 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

228 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

362 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

475 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

354 Listeners

Have You Heard George's Podcast? by BBC Sounds

Have You Heard George's Podcast?

235 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

148 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

329 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,221 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

78 Listeners

What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel by WTF Productions

What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel

86 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

667 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

568 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

629 Listeners

We Can Be Weirdos by Global

We Can Be Weirdos

195 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

392 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

242 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

49 Listeners

Rory Stewart: The Long History of... by BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart: The Long History of...

77 Listeners

Lunchbox Envy by Lunchbox Envy

Lunchbox Envy

49 Listeners

The History Bureau by BBC

The History Bureau

82 Listeners