Everyday Science That Blows People’s Minds (S4) S46:E5

Welcome to another electrifying episode of Inspirations for your Life Show, the daily motivational podcast that transforms ordinary moments into breakthroughs for your mind, your career, and your life! I’m your host, John C. Morley—Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Coach, Graduate Student, and above all, a passionate lifelong learner. As your trusted guide, I’m here to empower you with wisdom, motivation, and actionable insights that elevate your spirit and unleash your true potential. If you’re striving for more—creativity in the workplace, leadership mastery, or just a spark of daily inspiration—you’ve come to the right place! Get ready as we decode the mysteries of modern life, putting everyday science under the microscope for Season 4, Episode 46: “Everyday Science That Blows People’s Minds.”

Let’s dive into some weird, fascinating, and quick-bite science facts that will shift how you think and feel about yourself and the world:

1️⃣💡 The color you see isn’t real Did you know the vibrant colors you see are actually constructs? What you experience as “red” or “blue” is your brain’s unique interpretation of reflected light wavelengths—reality looks very different to a butterfly or a dog. Color isn’t out there waiting to be seen: it’s created inside your mind.

2️⃣💡 Why your brain edits memories Each time you recall a memory, your brain isn’t retrieving a perfect snapshot—it’s reconstructing, often editing or losing details. This process protects us but also means our cherished moments can shift with emotion and time, blurring fact with feeling.

3️⃣💡 You shed your skin every 27 days If you ever feel like hitting “restart,” just remember: your outer skin completely renews itself once a month. Every handshake, every hug—some of it is last month's you, some brand new.

4️⃣💡 The placebo effect is stronger than we think Science reveals that belief alone can turn a sugar pill into relief or even healing. Expectation itself can trigger physical changes that rival medication, proof our thoughts have real power over our bodies.

5️⃣💡 Humans glow in the dark—faintly Biochemists discovered that people emit a tiny, almost imperceptible glow. It’s not visible to the human eye, but under sensitive cameras, our bodies shine thanks to metabolic reactions. Yes, you’re literally a beacon—even in the night.

6️⃣💡 Why déjà vu happens Ever feel like you’ve “been here before”? Déjà vu is your brain momentarily mixing long-term and short-term memory storage, creating an eerie sense of familiarity. It’s a mental glitch, but one that shows the mystery and power of your memory.

7️⃣💡 How your body knows you’re being watched Can you sense eyes on you? Subtle cues—like changes in temperature or micro-movements—alert your body and trigger a primal awareness, honed by evolution. Sometimes, your instincts really do know best.

8️⃣💡 The smell of rain actually has bacteria That fresh, earthy scent after rain—called petrichor—is released by bacteria in the soil. Next time you breathe deeply after a summer shower, remember: you’re inhaling nature’s microbial signature.

9️⃣💡 The brain can’t tell real vs imagined pain Whether you stub your toe or just think about it, the same neural pathways light up. Your mind sometimes can’t distinguish actual harm from a vivid thought, showing the immense influence of mental imagery.

🔟💡 Why yawning is contagious See someone yawn, and suddenly you’re fighting the urge too. Contagious yawning is connected to empathy and social bonding, wired deep into our brains to help groups relax and synchronize.

1️⃣1️⃣💡 How your heartbeat syncs with people near you In close contact, like a hug or a dance, human heartbeats can sync up through shared emotional and sensory cues. Science proves connection isn’t just a feeling—it’s a rhythm.

1️⃣2️⃣💡 The science of goosebumps Goosebumps are a survival throwback—your hair stands up to trap warmth or signal fear. Today, a moving song or a cold breeze triggers the same ancient response.

1️⃣3️⃣💡 Why time speeds up as you age As we get older, each day feels faster because new experiences slow time down. Routine compresses your perception, so keep learning and exploring to stretch out your days.

1️⃣4️⃣💡 How your brain fills blind spots Your eyes have gaps, but your brain “guesses” what’s missing using context and memory. You don’t see the world as it is—you see what your brain fills in.

1️⃣5️⃣💡 You can’t breathe and swallow at the same time It’s impossible—and vital! Our bodies have a built-in mechanism to keep food out of our airways, showcasing evolutionary genius.

1️⃣6️⃣💡 Why music gives chills A beautiful song releases dopamine, triggering pleasure centers and chills. Music literally hijacks your brain for a powerful emotional journey.

1️⃣7️⃣💡 The illusion of free will debate Science asks if our choices are tru

Episode Transcript

(00:24):
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, Serial Entrepreneur.
It's always great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
Whether this is your first time with me
or you're coming back, I want to say
a big warm welcome and thank you.
And if you're coming back, well, thank you
for coming back.
I always appreciate people that enjoy my content
and find that it enriches their lives and
want to share it with those they care

(00:45):
about.
All right, guys, so today, if you're wondering,
it's Wednesday.
It's November 12, 2020.
Five, if you're watching us live.
If you didn't know, well, the master topic
for this week, which just has a few
more days left, is a really good one.
Decoded Modern Life Under the Microscope.

(01:06):
And it's been pretty interesting.
So, guys, again, if you're new here or
not and you have not heard about BelieveMeAchieve
.com, why not check that out and let
me know what you think.
There's short-form content, long-form content, all
kinds of great stuff.
And I will definitely get that more information,

(01:26):
I should say, about it to you guys
because we keep publishing short-form content, long
-form content, articles, and so much more.
So definitely check that out, guys.
It's great to be with you.
I'll let you know what the master topic,
the granular topic, I'm sorry, is in just
a moment.
But, again, it's always great to be with
you guys here on Inspirations for Your Life.
So, guys, without any further ado, I want

(01:48):
to go ahead and kick this show off
because, but before I do, I want to
just let you know that if you're thirsty
or maybe you're parched, feel free to get
yourself something.
Maybe it's water, like RO water like I
usually drink.
Maybe it's a soda.
Maybe it's orange juice.
Maybe it's another fruit, different beverage.
Maybe it's something hot, something cold.
Whatever is going to work for you.

(02:09):
Could be nuts, could be sweet, tart.
Again, healthy or not, that's up to you,
guys.
So let's kick this off, everyone, to another
electrifying episode of the ever-popular Inspirations for
Your Life show, the daily motivational podcast that
transforms ordinary moments of your life into breakthroughs
for your mind, your career, and, of course,
your life.

(02:30):
I am your host.
I'm John C.
Morley.
I'm a serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video
producer, podcast host, coach, graduate student, and above
all, a passionate lifelong learner.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege and
pleasure to be with you each and every
time that I come to you as your

(02:51):
trusted guide and advisor.
I'm here to empower you with wisdom, motivation,
and actionable insights that elevate your spirit and
unleash your true potential.
If you're striving for more creativity in the
workplace, leadership, mastery, or just a spark of
daily inspiration, well, you've come to the right

(03:12):
place.
So get ready as we decode the mysteries
of modern life, putting everything about science under
the microscope.
So we're in Series 4, which means that
in less than eight weeks, we'll be done
with Series 4, we'll be on the air
four years, and we'll be starting Series 5.
This, by the way, is Show 46, and

(03:35):
it is Episode 5.
And it's all about everyday science that blows
people's minds.
So let's dive in, everyone, into some weird,
fascinating, and quick bite science facts that will
shift how you think and feel about yourself
and the world.
And remember, it's our perceptions that create our

(03:56):
world, not what we see, but our perceptions
that cause us to have that show up
in the world.
So number one, this is a great idea.
The color you see isn't real.
Did you know the vibrant colors you see
are actually constructs?
What you experience as red or blue is

(04:16):
your brain's unique interpretation of reflected light.
Wavelengths, reality looks very different to a butterfly
or a dog.
Color isn't out there waiting to be seen.
It's created inside your mind.
I bet you didn't know that.
Number two, why your brain edits memories.
Each time you recall a memory, your brain

(04:39):
isn't retrieving a perfect snapshot, unfortunately.
It's reconstructing, often editing, or losing details.
This process protects us, but also means our
cherished moments can shift with emotion and time.
Blurring fact with, of course, feeling.
Number three, guys, another idea, you shed your

(05:02):
skin every 27 days.
I don't know if you know that.
If you ever feel like hitting restart, just
remember your outer skin completely renews itself once
a month.
Every handshake, every hug, some of it is,
well, last month's.
You, some brand new.
Number four, guys, the placebo effect.

(05:23):
We've all heard about the placebo effect before,
right?
It's nothing new, but I think it's something
that a lot of people hopefully will appreciate
more and more.
And it's important to understand that.

(05:44):
Okay?
And so these are important things to realize.
The placebo effect is stronger than we think.
Science reveals that belief alone can turn a
sugar pill into relief or even healing.
That's important, guys.

(06:05):
All right?
Very, very important.
And hopefully that means something to all of
you.
And, you know, you'll think about that.
And that can make a whole new you.

(06:29):
Does that make sense?
I hope it does.
All right?
I really hope it does.
So it's all about relief.
It's about healing.
It's about expectation itself that can trigger physical
changes that will rival medication and prove our

(06:50):
thoughts have real power over our bodies.
You see, when we think about something, the
universe looks for a way to show us
that that is true.
Number five, humans glow in dark, faintly, and
biochemists discovered that people emit a tiny, almost
imperceptible glow.

(07:12):
It's not visible to the human eye, but
under sensitive cameras, our bodies shine thanks to
metabolic reactions.
I bet you didn't know about that.
That's a really, really – that's a really
cool one, I think, that's definitely interesting.

(07:36):
So, yes, you're literally a beacon, even in
the night.
I think that's an important thing to realize,
that you are that beacon.
You are that compass.

(07:58):
Okay?
Does that make sense?
I mean, I hope it does.
If it doesn't, then maybe we can go
from there.
But I think a lot of times we
have to figure out what it is in
our life.
All right?
What it is in our life and how
that actually works in our life.

(08:22):
Does that make sense to everybody?
I hope so.
What goes through your head when you think
about that?

(08:50):
Just think about that for a minute.
I think when we get a chance to
think about stuff, it changes us.

(09:12):
Okay?
And that hopefully will make a very big
difference.
Number six, why deja vu happens.
Ever feel like you've been here before?
Deja vu is your brain's momentarily time when
it mixes the long-term and the short

(09:33):
-term memory storage, creating an eerie sense of
familiarity.
It's a mental glitch, but one that shows
the mystery and power of your memory.
Number seven, guys, how your body knows you're
being watched.
Can you sense eyes on you, subtle cues

(09:56):
like changes in temperature or micro-movements alert
your body and trigger a primal awareness honed
by evolution?
I think that's a very important thing to
think about, right, how that plays.
Sometimes your instincts really do know best.

(10:18):
Sometimes.
Number eight, guys, the smell of rain actually
has bacteria.
That fresh, earthy scent after rain called petriarch
is released by bacteria in the soil.
And next time you breathe deeply after a
summer shower, remember, you're inhaling nature's microbial signature.

(10:41):
That might not actually be so good for
you to be doing.
Number nine, play the brain can't tell real
versus imagined pain.
Whether you stub your toe or just think
about it, the same neural pathways light up.
Your mind sometimes can't distinguish actual harm from

(11:04):
a vivid thought, showing the immense influence of
mental imagery.
Okay.
Number 10, why yawning is contagious.
See, someone yawns and suddenly you're fighting the
urge to as well.
Contagious yawning is connected to empathy and social
bonding wired deep into our brains to help

(11:26):
groups relax.
And of course, guys, you know, synchronize.
So I think that's an important thing to
realize.
Number 11, how your heartbeat syncs with people
near you.
This is fascinating.
In close contact, like a hug or a
dance, human heartbeats can sync up through shared

(11:47):
emotional and sensory cues.
Science proves connection isn't just a feeling.
It's a rhythm.
All right.
And I think that's something that we all
have to that we all have to embrace
and figure out what that is in our
world.
But it's something that we learn, I think,
every single day in our life.
Number 12, guys, the science of goosebumps.

(12:10):
Goosebumps are a survival throwback.
Your hair stands up to trap warmth or
signal fear.
And moving, let's say, a song or a
cold breeze triggers the same ancient response that
we've known for years and years and years
and years.
And I think that's a very, very important

(12:33):
thing to understand.
Very important thing to understand.
Number 13, guys, number 13 is pretty good.
Why time speeds up as you move on
in life.
As we get older, each day feels faster
because new experiences slow time down.
Routine compresses your perception.

(12:54):
So if you want to do something, you
know, and make your life seem longer, do
new things.
Okay.
So keep learning and exploring to stretch out
your days.
And you're going to be pretty impressed with
how that's all going to work and how
that's going to play out.
Don't stick in routines.
It's okay to have some routines, but change

(13:15):
some things around for yourself.
Number 14, how your brain fills blind spots.
Your eyes have gaps.
But your brain, well, it guesses what's missing.
Using context and memory, you don't see the
world as it is.
You see what your brain fills in.
That's pretty remarkable, right?

(13:37):
Number 15, guys, is one I think that
a lot of people oftentimes miss, and that
is you can't breathe and swallow at the
same time.
Try it.
You can't.
It's impossible.
And vital, if you understand, our bodies have
a built-in mechanism to keep food out
of our airways, showcasing evolutionary genius.

(14:01):
And we're made in a very, very unique
way.
I think sometimes we don't appreciate the beauty
of how we were created.
Number 16, guys, why music gives chills.
A beautiful song releases dopamine-triggering pleasure, enters,
and it chills us, right?

(14:22):
Does that make sense to everybody?
I hope so.
But again, I think our triggering
mechanisms happen at different times in our lives
or different situations.

(14:42):
So music literally hijacks your brain for a
powerful emotional journey.
Whether we're ready for it or not, it's
a great way to transcend and to embrace
a feeling when sometimes we can't embrace the
feeling.
I think that's important.
Number 17, the illusion of free will debate.
See, science asks if our choices are truly

(15:05):
ours or shaped by hidden brain processes.
Environment and experience, a debate with profound implications
for accountability and identity.
I think sometimes people go down the wrong
pathway, and they're like, I've got to be
accountable.
Yes, you need to be accountable, not just

(15:25):
today but every single day of your life.
And I think when we start asking people
to become accountable, they get standoffish.
I think that's what I've noticed.
They definitely get standoffish.
So that's a really important thing to recognize
and to realize.

(15:45):
Number 18, guys, I think when we can
embrace what's happening in our life or why
things are going a certain way, I think
this causes us to be in a certain
way.

(16:06):
I think it causes us to be in
a certain way because when we're in a
certain way, it's like life changes for us.
Life changes, and by life changing, it causes
us to be a different person.
Number 18, guys, the gut-brain connection.
Your stomach talks to your mind.
Did you know that?

(16:26):
Yes, your stomach actually talks to your mind.
And you might be saying, oh, that's crazy.
No, I'm here to tell you that is
true.
The gut produces neurotransmitters influencing mood, stress, and
cognition.
See, gut health equals mental health.

(16:48):
And the feed is important for both being
wise.
Number 19, guys, why you can't tickle yourself.
Your brain predicts self-touch.
And tamponing the responses, true surprise is key
to tickling.
And so because your body knows exactly when

(17:08):
you're going to tickle, there is no surprise
anymore.
I think that becomes the reason it doesn't
work, right?
So number 20, how emotions affect temperature, perception,
mood.
Because it changes how warm or cold we

(17:29):
feel.
Anxiety will always put a chill on us.
Happiness warms us.
It's not just physics.
It's, well, pure psychology.
And I think if we can understand the
fact that our body gives us signals every
single day.
But are you really paying attention to these
signals?
Or are you just doing something else, right?

(17:50):
I think that's an important thing to realize.
Number 21, guys, why people dream in color.
Most dreamers see in vivid hues, especially those
exposed to color media.
Your dreams mirror your waking visual experiences.
I think sometimes we don't always see the

(18:12):
color because maybe we're putting too much stress
on ourselves to see in color.
If you don't see in color in a
dream, don't worry about it, okay?
Let your dream flow.
And whatever happens in the dream happens.
And then learn from that.
Number 22, the science of attraction in 0
.3 seconds.
That's what it takes.

(18:33):
Less than a heartbeat for your brain to
size up romantic chemistry.
Instincts and microexpressions.
They work very fast.
So if we now understand how that is
and how that works, maybe we can realize
how we make these split-second decisions.
Sometimes it's not our conscious mind doing it.
A lot of times it's our subconscious mind.

(18:55):
So our body is very smart.
Our brain, mind, and heart.
It's able to take all this input and
give us outputs in, like, fractions of a
second.
But do we pay attention to it?
That's the whole thing.
Number 23, guys.
How caffeine tricks fatigue.
Caffeine blocks adenosine, fooling your brain out of

(19:19):
sleeplessness for a quick power boost.
But be warned, it will catch up with
you later.
And when it catches up with you later,
well, that can be a serious, serious problem
for everyone to understand and to, you know,
think toward.
Number 24, why your phone feels like a
body part.

(19:40):
Phones integrate so deeply into daily life that
they become almost an extension of a limb,
an arm, a leg, as we call it.
Digital embodiment is the term that's been around
for a while.
But, you know, we laugh about it, but
it's because we reach for our phone just
as quickly as, you know, we reach for
anything else or use on our body, right?

(20:02):
So just like we would move our arm
or move our hand or leg or neck
or face or eyes, that's proprioception, right?
Knowing where things are in this part of
space.
Number 25, guys.
The weird science of smell memories.
Smells bypass the rational mind and jump straight

(20:22):
to memory centers, often evoking powerful emotions instantly.
Number 26, how eye movement links to memory.
Where your eyes move while recalling facts reveals
how your brain stores and retrieves data.

(20:43):
And, you know, I think these are important
things to realize is that our body is,
like I said, very, very smart.
And so although I'm not getting into all
the specifics of all that in this show,
I'm just trying to give you the higher
level overview of what our body does.
Number 27, why people cry watching commercials.

(21:03):
Emotional music and relatable imagery triggers tears, even
for ads.
Storytelling connects at a primal level.
And this is what these marketers do.
They're not stupid.
They do this because they want to be
able to get our attention, right?
And they know that if they tap into
our attention, guess what?
We're going to become captive, whatever it is

(21:25):
they want.
I think that's important to know.
Number 28, the brain's reward loop in gaming
video games activates the reward circuits, keeping us
motivated with goals, levels, and digital wins.
The same thing happens, guys, when we go
and use social media.

(21:45):
We think that, you know, we're just checking.
But when we become too reliant on it,
too dependent on it, it kind of robs
us of our freedom.
And it's the light that recharges.
Oh, I got to go back and look
because I got the light.
I got that dopamine push.
But be careful because it can draw you
in and it can suck out your time.

(22:05):
Number 29, guys, how scent affects trust.
Trust can rise or fall based on unconscious
scent cues.
Part of our animal instincts is we just
have a way of smelling.
Not as well as a dog does, okay?
But we do have a way of sensing

(22:26):
whether something should be trusted or not.
And it's all in smell.
And I think that's something that a lot
of people don't realize.
They don't appreciate the fact that smell is
not just so we can enjoy, you know,
what's going on.
I think that's an important thing to realize

(22:47):
is that it's about what we're doing in
life.
And it's about how this connects, how this
embodies us in life.
And when we understand that and we start
to pay attention to the inputs, it's like
think of the computer for a moment, right?
If the computer program did not pay attention
to its inputs or let's say a robot

(23:07):
did not pay attention to its sensors, it
would crash into a wall, right?
It would break things.
So that's important to realize.
Number 30, the illusion of control in daily
choices.
Many, quote, unquote, decisions that we make are
subconsciously preset, giving us a comforting but often

(23:28):
false sense of mastery.
And I think mastery to a lot of
people means being the best.
But I'm here to tell you that mastery
doesn't always mean being the best.
I think mastery means being better than you
were before because you can always have more
mastery.
You can always master something more.

(23:49):
If you're a good singer and you master
singing, well, you can always master it even
more.
So mastery is when we have practiced enough
to use our skills to, let's say, elicit
some thing we're doing, a skill, etc.
It causes us to be better, right?

(24:12):
If a baseball player suddenly practices so many
days, he or she is going to be
a better catcher, a better hitter, right?
And sometimes we'll say that the player has
mastered baseball.
But really, they haven't mastered baseball.
They may have mastered one component of several
components of baseball.
And I think a lot of athletes do
this.
In golf, they go, oh, I mastered golf.

(24:34):
Oh, you mastered how to drive the ball
on this kind of condition, or you mastered
this, or you mastered putting.
But you didn't master everything.
I think that's the challenge that I have
a lot of people get confused with.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I want to let
you know that if you've enjoyed these powerful
science bites today, I want you to check

(24:54):
out my site, which I know you know
what it is.
It's BelieveMeAchieve.com.
I think when we can be purposeful about
our actions, when we can take the input
that we ascertain from the world, right?
Our eyes, our fingers, our nose, right?

(25:17):
Even our sense of taste, touch.
These are all sensors that we have, similar
to a robot, right?
And they help us get, well, measurement and
data about the real world.
Even our eyes, right?
Even proprioception.

(25:38):
So these are pretty cool things because if
these are so cool and we start to
realize that our body is giving us signals
all day long, but are we aware of
those signals?
That is probably the most important thing that
I want to share with you.
Are we aware of those signals?
Or are we just kind of like, you
know, sitting in limbo land?

(26:00):
I mean, that's really the truth.
Because if we have all this data and
we don't use it, then how can we
ever change?
I've said if you want to be successful,
you have to be able to measure something.
If something can't be measured, then we can't
quantify it, and thus we can't make it

(26:20):
better.
Because we don't know what worse was.
We don't know what better is.
We don't know who we are.
We can't set a benchmark.
And I think a lot of times we
get what I like to call a term
that I learned from Dr. Karas many years
ago.
It's called funny money.
But I like to call it funny logic,
where it's something where we can't necessarily comprehend

(26:43):
what it is.
So I might say to you, gee, I'm
going to give you 5% off.
Or I'm going to give you 20 cents
off on every order.
But if I can't quantify or I don't
know what it is, that's funny money.
If you're working in funny money and you're
the one giving it away, be careful.
If you're the one getting funny money, the
other person needs to be careful.

(27:04):
Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed this
show today as much as I enjoyed sharing
it with you guys.
Do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for more of
my amazing, inspiring creations.
And advice on unlocking workplace motivation and personal
motivation.
And, of course, elevating your leadership game.
You know, guys, it is never too late

(27:25):
to start.
Incorporating these insights into your daily life can
spark creativity, gratitude, and high performance.
So let me help you build a culture
of growth and celebration together.
So tune in daily to inspirations for your
life.
But if you missed the show, well, just
go to BelieveMeAchieved.com.
And you'll be able to replay the show
any time you want, 24 hours a day.
As well as, you know, replay not only

(27:47):
shows, but you can watch reels.
You can read my articles and so much
more.
Have yourself a great rest of your day.
And let's get you guys elevated and make
every extraordinary day even better.
Because your best life starts with inspiration, curiosity,
and passion for learning.
So let's do it now.