Jess Miller, a twin expert and intern on the show, brings her insights into the fascinating world of twins. The discussion explores whether twins can really feel each other's pain, revealing the truth behind this myth. They also dive into the popular misconception about Vikings wearing horned helmets, uncovering the historical reality. Lastly, the podcast investigates dogs' color vision, discovering that they see shades of blue and yellow. It's a playful mix of myth-busting and scientific exploration!
Twin emotional connections are largely a myth, as scientific experiments show separated twins do not share awareness of each other's experiences.
The common belief that Vikings wore horned helmets is unfounded, stemming from exaggerated 19th-century artistic representations rather than historical evidence.
Deep dives
Importance of Donation
Listeners are encouraged to support the Brains On universe through year-end philanthropic donations, which will help maintain and enhance various shows including Moment of On and Forever Ago. Donations can be made through BrainsOn.org/donate, with contributors receiving stickers and a personal thank-you message. The appeal emphasizes the importance of listener support in ensuring the ongoing production of quality educational content for kids. Such initiatives aim to foster curiosity and learning among young audiences.
Exploring Twin Connections
The podcast investigates the common belief that twins can sense each other's emotions or pain, featuring an intern who is a twin himself. Scientific experiments were referenced, showing that twins, even identical ones, do not have a unique emotional connection that allows them to feel each other’s feelings over distances. For instance, when twins were separated and subjected to surprising stimuli, their brain responses did not indicate any awareness of the other's experiences. This suggests that while twins may share similarities, the idea of an emotional connection is largely a myth.
Debunking Viking Myths
Another topic addressed is the popular misconception that Vikings wore horned helmets, a belief stemming from 19th-century artistic representations. An expert clarified that there is no historical evidence to support this; rather, Vikings typically used simple helmets made of iron or leather without horns. The origin of the horned helmet image was linked to opera costume designs that exaggerated Viking imagery for dramatic effect. This analysis illustrates how myths can evolve over time, often disconnected from historical facts.
Listeners send us LOTS of questions. Like hundreds a month! We read every single one — and we love all of them! Every now and then, we get a special kind of question that starts with “Is it true that…?” These questions are special because they’re skeptical. They’re designed to seek out the truth.
In this episode, Molly and co-host Meyer tackle three “Is it true that…” questions. First, they’ll explore whether twins can feel each other’s pain. Then, they’ll find out if the Vikings had horns on their helmets! They’ll end their quest by discovering whether dogs can see color like we do. All that, plus a tricky new mystery sound!