Psychology Outside the Box (2024)

02/05/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

What is the difference between a dream, a hallucination, and the real world? Sometimes there is no difference at all. They may be exactly the same as far as your brain is concerned.

The nature of reality has been debated by philosophers and scientists for thousands of years. I'm not trying to settle the nature of reality issue today. My goal is to expand your ideas and thinking in this area just a little bit.

I say just a little bit because I don’t want to overload your brain and have it explode. Strangely enough, there is a condition called exploding head syndrome. It sounds like something out of a horror movie but it's actually a real thing.

Want to learn more about hallucinations? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/hallucinations-are-everywhere-and-sometimes-they-are-real/id1726854861?i=1000652446328

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/204BpqUTTs0M5WTbPLDpRj?si=qUhgO2XJT2KzqwZ-R7dOaw

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/hallucinations-are-everywhere-and-sometimes-they-167586195/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/z9duF-AoKI4?si=ssgJ3JwmOKYpkK95

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/HALLUCINATIONS-ARE-EVERYWHERE-AND-SOMETIMES-THEY-ARE-REAL/B0D1NCTCN4?ref_pageloadid=uAhzq4F6qHjde14h&ref=a_podcast_P_c0_lAsin_0_1&pf_rd_p=ef8b1b21-74d0-4bb7-8c33-48388ec241ca&pf_rd_r=8MKYZWYTT9HWPN2BA42R&pageLoadId=bwMfsFkIpvEbVlKK&creativeId=05aa40aa-4cb8-46aa-818c-3a06ddf84ab5

29/04/2024

A NEW EPISODE IS OUT!

Since the 1950s, California’s Disneyland has been known as "The Happiest Place On Earth". It’s the only place where everyone can feel that childhood happiness. There is just one problem with Disneyland. You can’t apply for citizenship to live there forever. If you could, it would quickly become the most crowded place on Earth!

But if you are looking for a place to live where you can stay longer than two weeks, the World Happiness Report that came out in March 2024 may be able to help.

We find year after year that life satisfaction is highest in the social democracies of northern Europe, the so-called Nordic countries: Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The Nordic winter tends to be long, dark, and cold but this does not seem to reduce their level of happiness. It certainly appears that the Nordic nations are doing something right.

Want to learn more? Make sure to listen to the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/not-disneyland-but-nordic-countries-are-happiest-places/id1726854861?i=1000652340060

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Dj0vfWjrSTyffLawNyuRw?si=F1pDUCVjRm6KENOKvLEuYA

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/not-disneyland-but-nordic-countries-are-167231027/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/gmBt2-fHKx8?si=tnGboslmAXXnsf8c

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/NOT-DISNEYLAND-BUT-NORDIC-COUNTRIES-ARE-HAPPIEST-PLACES-ON-EARTH/B0D1BNYNXB?ref_pageloadid=OxggBKQbtsforJ4p&ref=a_podcast_P_c4_lAsin_0_2&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=85F4W2S522BZ26GBN6AP&pageLoadId=kEaTsaBkM2pbyPrj&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

25/04/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

Movies tell us that there are many threats to humanity’s existence. And just as we know that EVERYTHING on the internet is TRUE, we can also be pretty sure that movies know exactly what they’re talking about. It could be an alien invasion from outer space, a zombie apocalypse, or destruction by artificial intelligence that we have created.

I can’t solve all of these problems in one podcast, so today I'll just focus on the zombie apocalypse.

For decades now, the idea of zombies has been popular in movies and television shows. While the idea of the undead may seem far-fetched, zombies can actually provide a better insight into the human brain. But in the event of a zombie apocalypse, you must also know and understand your enemy if you are to have any chance of survival. So I will help you do that. Be sure to take notes. I don’t wanna have to repeat myself.

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/do-zombies-have-a-brain-or-do-they-just-eat-them/id1726854861?i=1000652191568

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lpmqRlXVs93OCzKa2pd0k?si=81MB0QyWSf2QeV4iWVG-9A

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/do-zombies-have-a-brain-or-166810598/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/8iTAxnM6JXQ?si=eONSaGRBjNbXriPM

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/DO-ZOMBIES-HAVE-A-BRAIN-OR-DO-THEY-JUST-EAT-THEM/B0D1G6367Z?ref_pageloadid=uAhzq4F6qHjde14h&ref=a_podcast_P_c0_lAsin_0_3&pf_rd_p=ef8b1b21-74d0-4bb7-8c33-48388ec241ca&pf_rd_r=8MKYZWYTT9HWPN2BA42R&pageLoadId=bwMfsFkIpvEbVlKK&creativeId=05aa40aa-4cb8-46aa-818c-3a06ddf84ab5

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21/04/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

You would probably be offended if someone said your pain was all in your head. But guess what - that's actually true! Pain is constructed entirely in the brain. Just because pain is in your head doesn't make it less real. In fact, it’s your brain that literally creates what your body feels.

For example, if you accidentally hit your finger with a hammer, it might seem that you feel the pain immediately in your hand. But that is wrong. In reality, there is a very short delay that allows pain messages to be sent from nerve endings in your finger up your arm to your spinal cord and then to the correct area of the brain.

Only when the signals arrive at the brain do you feel the pain and then you say “Ouch”, or some other four-letter word like f**k or f**k.

Check out the full podcast at the links below to find out more!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/your-eyes-do-not-see-and-pain-is-all-in-your-head/id1726854861?i=1000651896512

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Kryu53nABNTITZa8QNUOL?si=kPSeHW1LQzaFvClhIUqMBQ

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/your-eyes-do-not-see-and-166122038/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/qG77trz1ZGI?si=eUblTzFVAbvknHHF

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/YOUR-EYES-DO-NOT-SEE-AND-PAIN-IS-ALL-IN-YOUR-HEAD/B0CZVXD1GM?ref_pageloadid=kkqdOS5XhFsSjEk9&ref=a_podcast_P_c0_lAsin_0_4&pf_rd_p=ef8b1b21-74d0-4bb7-8c33-48388ec241ca&pf_rd_r=HHNHSW024DG2919T3PNZ&pageLoadId=0tu3fUmsGyT4spnp&creativeId=05aa40aa-4cb8-46aa-818c-3a06ddf84ab5

17/04/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

You can live with just one kidney or a single lung, but whoever thought you could live a normal life with only half a brain? Most of us can’t even live without our cellphone for more than a few hours!

A human brain contains about 86 billion neurons or brain cells. A single brain cell isn’t very smart by itself. But when they are connected in vast networks they produce intelligence, personality, memories, emotions, language, movement, and consciousness.

But what happens when we lose HALF of all our brain cells? Are we paralyzed and confined in a wheelchair? Can we see and hear and touch and feel? Can we still talk or think or do we just stare blankly into space? Are we conscious and aware or stuck in a never-ending coma or vegetative state?

It sounds scary, but losing half a brain usually has a very happy ending.

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/living-a-full-life-with-half-a-brain/id1726854861?i=1000651793443

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/27m5E0N1Hqd6KZXTVkVY83?si=5odxxEbXRTydP5_0w9E8Vw

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/living-a-full-life-with-half-165846149/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/azlIhahbPPg?si=Nm20o2chf5_GolOD

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/LIVING-A-FULL-LIFE-WITH-HALF-A-BRAIN/B0D153XF76

10/04/2024

Do you remember being born?

People often claim to remember experiences from the first year of life. But these memories are very unlikely to be real. Infant or childhood amnesia is the inability of adults to remember experiences that occurred during the first few years of life (generally 0–3 years). The brain either rapidly forgets or else cannot form long-term memories. For instance, most people would not be able to recall their own first words or first steps. So we have so few early memories compared to our later childhood, teenage years, and beyond.

On October 14, 1987, 18-month-old Jessica McClure fell into a well in Midland, Texas. Jessica's mother left her in the yard while she went to answer the phone. Moments later, Jessica came upon an 8-inch well opening and fell inside. Alone and 22 feet below ground, Baby Jessica sang about Winnie the Pooh. Jessica's rescue gained worldwide attention. As we say today, the event went viral in a big way. It would take rescuers with heavy drilling equipment 58 hours to retrieve her safe and sound.

Jessica is now a mother with children of her own. Even though the accident was a nightmare for her parents, Jessica never had any memory of the falling in the well or being rescued. And the happy ending was complete when Jessica turned 25. At that age she gained access to a trust fund of $800,000 donated by thousands of sympathetic strangers who spent 2.5 days glued to the television until she was free.

07/04/2024

Am I the only one who has said this to myself when looking in a full length mirror? "Mirror mirror glistening glass, tell me this is not my ass." If you have, don't worry, that isn't the mirror test!

In psychology, the mirror test is often used to evaluate self-recognition. It has been conducted on young children as well as many different animals.

To test a child, put a smudge or some rouge on their nose or forehead and then place them in front of a mirror. Until about 18 months the baby will not realize it is his or her reflection. They might even think it’s another child and try to look behind the mirror. By 20 months most children will notice the smudge and touch it. This suggests that the child now is able to recognize its image, and so is becoming more self-aware.

Elephants, dolphins, and chimpanzees also recognize themselves in the mirror. But dogs and cats and most other animals do not. Some cats and dogs will just ignore the reflection. Some try to play with the other animal. Others may bark, growl, snarl, or show their teeth because the image is seen as a threat. They may get very aggressive and attack or jump at the mirror in order to scare the intruder away. So be careful if you try this with your pet because anything could happen!

04/04/2024

Have you ever wondered if identical twins have identical fingerprints?

The belief that identical twins have the same fingerprints is common, but is actually WRONG. While identical twins may have very similar physical appearance, each twin still has his own unique fingerprints.

Although twins’ fingerprints do tend to be more similar than those of strangers, forensic experts and state-of-the-art recognition software can still spot the difference, making it harder than you might think for twins to become criminal masterminds.

No research has ever found that identical twins share exactly the same fingerprints. So, while identical twins might be able to fool their friends and family about who's who, there is always one surefire way to tell them apart — fingerprints!

31/03/2024

A new podcast episode is available!

I might as well give you the bad news right now. Referring to people as INTROVERTS or EXTROVERTS is wrong. It is a false dichotomy. Ambiverts who combine elements of both personality styles are far more common. If you read something that mentions introverts and extroverts, but not ambiverts, you are missing approximately 70% of people in the middle category. So anyone who refers to introversion and extroversion as a SIMPLE dichotomy, is just SIMPLE-MINDED, and is SIMPLY wrong. It’s as SIMPLE as that. In reality, MOST of us are ambiverts MOST of the time. And really, the ambivert’s ability to adjust his or her style to suit the situation makes a lot of sense.

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/are-introverts-or-extroverts-better/id1726854861?i=1000650356157

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0p8Jy6WWKoScnnlQuvgs1C?si=hyMCNIXKQF-n3zrcwgmlcQ

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/are-introverts-or-extroverts-better-161931741/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6SvWiIbfuQ

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/ARE-INTROVERTS-OR-EXTROVERTS-BETTER/B0CYZ7CLLD?ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_podcast_P_c4_lAsin_0_0&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=AKJGXM2XQA82SHRQ4ETH&pageLoadId=YPTVMN6NKFpm1dIj&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

22/03/2024

Almost all North American adults, adolescents, and many children own a cellphone of some kind. The widespread use of cellphones makes it very important to identify any harmful effects.

Several years ago, there was a viral video claiming that cellphone radiation can cook popcorn. OMG that's nuts! We are cooking our brains! We are all in danger! Run away...run for your lives, but leave your phone behind! Your phone is a killer!

The popcorn video is cute and entertaining - but that’s never going to happen.

If phones emitted that much energy, your fingers would heat up and it would hurt like crazy. You would have to wear oven mitts to protect yourself. Very difficult to text your friends wearing oven mitts…I DARE you to try it.

Want to learn more about whether cellphones are frying our brains? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/cellphones-why-not-brain-your-fry/id1726854861?i=1000649600900

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/cellphones-why-not-brain-your-fry-159997699/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6n4NBg6s83IBDHGUMaYVyr?si=K-ceDnO-RpuvUcUahtQHwQ

Youtube: https://youtu.be/lyzA3vPF_XM?si=Ads2jkj98SWOcWO9

20/03/2024

Children are certainly bundles of joy - but they're so much more.

No moment is more life altering than when your first child is born. Gone are the days of thinking only of yourself. Or a semblance of free time. And forget about having a neat and tidy house! Ask any parent, and they’ll acknowledge that having kids is expensive and exhausting.

Sixty or 70 years ago all couples were expected to have children and this was considered necessary for personal fulfillment. Today’s situation is VERY different. We're in no danger of running out of people, so the notion that you've got some kind of "responsibility" to have children went out the window.

THERE IS NO LONGER A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER. So which choice would you regret more: having children or NOT having children?

Check out the full podcast episode to learn more!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/do-you-want-to-have-children-or-do-you-want-to-have-fun/id1726854861?i=1000649035819

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QooTI8LFxj1hk4M2rMWG3?si=xuFcGuAuQF6Wjm2zVyPs2w

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/do-you-want-to-have-children-158574751/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/KZIUAOaku0E?si=ftxmzgww5y6vspzW

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/DO-YOU-WANT-TO-HAVE-CHILDREN-OR-DO-YOU-WANT-TO-HAVE-FUN/B0CXX2729L?ref_pageloadid=LPt1H5nsWJtOPjnf&ref=a_podcast_P_c4_lAsin_0_1&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=2RA0E9BNJRR05HCS80YC&pageLoadId=PW6mcStHokPoOMZX&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

14/03/2024

Mi siento muy… excited about this topic.

I was born in a galaxy far, far away. I WISH…but actually it was Italy. My family moved to North America when I was five. My name is FIORE which means “flower” in Italian, but I am a MALE.

Ethnologue is an annual reference publication that provides information and statistics for all of the world's known living languages. Currently, the number is estimated to be just above 7,000.

Especially in business, people are increasingly expected to speak, read, and write at least one of a handful of “super” languages, such as English, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish or Arabic. The so-called romance languages include Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian, but there are also many others.

In many parts of the world, being bilingual is common-place and not something unusual. Any young child can become bilingual as long as she receives plenty of exposure and guidance in BOTH languages. A couple of hours experience a week in the second language is not enough. Many adults also learn second and third languages, so age is no excuse for failing to learn a new language.

Here is a start to learning one of the languages of love or AMORE. I love you with all my heart...ti amo con tutto il mio cuore.

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode at the links below!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bilingual-minds-can-penser-en-deux-langues-at-the-same-time/id1726854861?i=1000648597502

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/bilingual-minds-can-penser-en-deux-157570749/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrG6gAt7sUA

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7sqSeLgtbGFvAd3quw61qc?si=9wxf16VCSDmu9XCWm7qY1g

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/podcast/BILINGUAL-MINDS-CAN-PENSER-EN-DEUX-LANGUES-AT-THE-SAME-TIME/B0CXFD6Y8S?ref_pageloadid=FsUgZlvkvxp8SSfm&ref=a_podcast_P_c4_lAsin_0_1&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=6A80AT723QXKQ2Z597DJ&pageLoadId=WnbDumKDrP8XtUmT&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

03/03/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

Love at first sight can happen any day, anywhere, and any time. It's the feeling you get when you don't want the moment to end because you feel a connection with another person that you haven't felt before. TV, movies, magazines, music—like to promote the notion of love at first sight. We’ve been trained to expect love to strike like lightning quick and hot.

A 2017 survey of over 5,000 single adults found that four in 10 of them have had a love at first sight experience. So we can accept that the experience of love at first sight really and truly happens to men and women everywhere. Less clear is exactly what it means.
So is love at first sight real or is it all just fairy tale and fantasy? Is it really LOVE at first sight or just LUST?

Check out the new episode to learn more!

Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/is-it-really-love-at-first-sight-or-just-lust/id1726854861?i=1000647764115

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/39MqbCN9mix5YGKp3ALfmJ

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/is-it-really-love-at-first-155674992/

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/pd/B0CWX74863?ref_pageloadid=RCwpS0pSP0RHPhcQ&ref=a_podcast_P_c4_lAsin_0_0&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=ZA2Q0QJS34FHRKAXPW2S&pageLoadId=PRlPDCwx9OdsSh0x&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgi1k6rWNYA

29/02/2024

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...

The movie Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg caused many moviegoers to be afraid to enter the ocean in the summer of ‘75. Without a doubt, sharks can be terrifying creatures. They glide through the ocean with powerful bodies and rows of sharp teeth. They’re some of the most effective hunters the world has ever known.

Sharks have from 5-10 rows of growing teeth behind a row of working teeth. They have sharp chompers, but they're not strong because they have no roots like ours do. They can be easily lost but then teeth in the back move forward to replace the missing ones. Sharks go through tens of thousands of teeth in their lifetime.

And they NEVER get cavities because the surface of their teeth contains fluoride - the same ingredient found in a lot of toothpastes and mouthwashes!

Sharks represent an example of a common fear that is wildly exaggerated. More people are actually killed by cows or horses each year than by sharks. But you're unlikely to see a Discovery channel special called Cows that Kill or When Cows Attack.

Shark finning and over-fishing are pushing sharks towards extinction. So there are a lot more reasons for sharks to be terrified of us humans.

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/forget-about-sharks-cows-are-the-real-killers/id1726854861?i=1000646762865

Youtube: https://youtu.be/g2_TxfwjG1E?si=z4Brt5YTa9RgyBjs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/475HaWDrqLbJjXYw79vhj2?si=O9r26hQZSKSdRyNu4X8v-A

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/forget-about-sharks-cows-are-153890885/

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/pd/FORGET-ABOUT-SHARKS-COWS-ARE-THE-REAL-KILLERS-Podcast/B0CWF8M6NL?ref_pageloadid=Lye0pyyuJJ3xmPED&ref=a_pd_PSYCHO_c4_lAsin_0_0&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=KYQTD3FHV09XSN2F7Y8V&pageLoadId=E4ZSUX81iJvSO6Y4&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

26/02/2024

Ever felt your phone buzz in your pocket, then pulled it out to find no text, no call, no notification? You might be experiencing Phantom Vibration Syndrome – and you’re not alone! It’s a very common experience and most people admit to occasionally having this feeling.

This can be considered a type of hallucination because you feel or hear something that really isn’t there. One leading theory is that our excessive smartphone use has conditioned our brains to be fooled by other sensations such as clothing moving against our skin. On the plus side, most people don’t find the phantom signals bothersome.

It's become an automatic reflex for millions of people. It’s a deeply ingrained habit that comes from constantly checking our phones, just in case there is something there. It’s the FOMO effect...fear of missing out. Fear that somebody is trying to reach us and we're not being responsive. Or perhaps it is just an example of a compulsive behavior, like people who constantly wash their hands.

And of course incoming messages or calls are exciting and rewarding. And so we want to repeat the experience as often as possible. Some of us, more than others, badly want that alert to happen. And we really miss it when it’s not there.

Phantom vibration syndrome may be mildly annoying at times. It is more of a normal phenomenon than it is a psychological disorder. We have identified hundreds of visual illusions that fool our brain. This is just another type of interesting illusion.

If you are still wondering whether you should be concerned or not, just answer your phone and I’ll tell you. Right now...

23/02/2024

CRISPR is not the name of a cracker or new breakfast cereal.

It’s a gene editing procedure that gives scientists the ability to change an organism’s DNA. DNA is in every living organism including all plants, animals, and people. You may have heard of GMO foods which have been around for decades. There is still some confusion and debate in this area.

In December 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first CRISPR treatment for sickle cell disease. This may provide a cure for this serious blood disorder but it’s certainly not cheap! Apparently the cost will be about $2 million U.S. per patient. An 88% cure rate could be possible. Unfortunately some patients developed blood cancer so there are some very serious risks.

Sickle cell disease affects red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. This disease often leads to severe pain and other health problems. Victoria Gray was diagnosed at 3 months of age after she cried so hard during a bath that she was rushed to the emergency room. She explains that sickle cell feels like sharp pieces of glass are flowing through her veins.

For Gray, it was the beginning of constant pain, ER visits, hospitalizations, and blood transfusions that ruined her childhood and adult life. She was so desperate that she was the first sickle cell patient to volunteer for the new CRISPR treatment.

About seven months after her treatment, she woke one morning and thought she was dying because she wasn’t feeling any pain at all. All her sickle cell symptoms disappeared and, so far, have not returned.

Victoria Gray was once helpless and hopeless about her life, but now feels there is no limit to what she can do. She has been given a second chance at life. And now there is hope for others too!

22/02/2024

A NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT!

Did you know that sometimes even the parents of identical twins can’t tell the difference between them?

In 2023, a mother of identical twins in Argentina confessed she felt forced to take her 6-week old infants to the local police station for fingerprint comparison because she couldn’t tell them apart.

Mom had placed a blue ribbon around the wrist of one of the twins but cut it off — and then lost track of their identities when the twins got sick one night. But the police were unable to identify the children and doctors couldn’t help either. After several days of confusion, the problem was solved thanks to Argentina’s National Registry of Persons.

The mother’s Twitter thread went viral after explaining her dilemma, and joking that she won the Best Mom of the Year Award. Her tweet collected over 350,000 likes and over 24,000 retweets. As well, a huge number of other parents admitted having problems trying to identify their own twins.

So if even parents can have difficulty recognizing their own identical twins, will the police and justice system face a similar nightmare during crime investigations?

Check out the full episode to learn more:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CRqtcPWNvTsBDZVNJhz7W?si=X0QABFrmRCG6OJ0q7MUJRw

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/it-wasnt-me-can-identical-twins-get-away-with-murder/id1726854861?i=1000645811993

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-psychology-outside-the-box-144633843/episode/it-wasnt-me-can-identical-151793745/

Audible: https://www.audible.ca/pd/IT-WASNT-ME-CAN-IDENTICAL-TWINS-GET-AWAY-WITH-MURDER-Podcast/B0CVX7VW2Z?ref_pageloadid=qMbpJVE6wyWy7YdZ&ref=a_pd_PSYCHO_c4_lAsin_0_0&pf_rd_p=0c38abba-a42f-457d-a98a-dad4d340a9a5&pf_rd_r=TK97727DTAQR9GTXHEY3&pageLoadId=e4CYOgkGgs8zuMZx&creativeId=395f77c0-e1ec-4b1d-a47f-7395e710e18c

20/02/2024

Have you ever tried holding your breath for an entire minute? It’s a LOT harder than you might think! An average healthy person with no special training can hold their breath for about half a minute. Do a few warm-ups before your big hold and this will improve your score.

The stunning underwater scenes in James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water take on new realism when you realize the actors are often actually performing underwater — while holding their breath for a really long time. Kate Winslet, who plays Ronal in the film, has set the record for holding her breath for seven minutes and 47 seconds. It broke a record set by Tom Cruise during his six-minute underwater sequence for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation in 2015. What Winslet did with only two weeks of training is remarkable.

The current record for breath holding underwater is 24 minutes. But this was achieved by inhaling pure oxygen before the attempt.

The first thing that happens when you hold your breath is oxygen levels decrease and carbon dioxide levels increase. Your brain cells need a constant supply of oxygen to function properly. If they are deprived of oxygen for several minutes, brain cells may start to die.

And so to protect itself, your brain puts more and more pressure on you to inhale and start breathing again. But don’t worry — for most people, it’s perfectly safe to hold your breath for a minute or two without hurting your brain in any way!

Psychology Outside the Box