Curious About Goosebumps

PODCAST 188: CURIOUS ABOUT GOOSEBUMPS

RELEASE DATE: SUNDAY, MAY 8TH, 2022

D:  HELLO, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST.  THE HUMAN BODY IS MIRACULOUS.  IT ALLOWS US, AS HUMANS, TO DO THINGS THAT MANY OTHER ANIMALS CAN’T DO.  SOME THINGS WE DO WITH OUR BODIES ARE COMPLETELY UNDER OUR CONTROL.  THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT OUR BODIES DO THAT WE DON’T HAVE CONTROL OVER.  WE’RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT ONE OF THOSE THINGS TODAY.  

O:  MAILBAG!

D:  MAILBAG!

P:  “HI, MY NAME IS PORTER.  I LIVE IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.  I LOVE YOUR PODCAST.  I LISTEN TO IT EVERY DAY IN THE CAR, AND I’M 8 YEARS OLD.  I’M CURIOUS ABOUT GOOSEBUMPS AND HOW WE GET THEM.  THANK YOU.”

O:  THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE E-MAIL, PORTER.  WE’RE GETTING CURIOUS ABOUT GOOSEBUMPS FOR YOU THIS WEEK.

D:  LEARNING ABOUT GOOSEBUMPS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME.  I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY PEOPLE GET GOOSEBUMPS AND HOW THEY WORK.  WHAT’S THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK?

O:  THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK IS, WHY ARE GOOSEBUMPS CALLED GOOSEBUMPS?  WHY NOT GIRAFFEBUMPS?  WHY NOT MOOSEBUMPS?  THAT RHYMES WITH GOOSEBUMPS.  WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE GOOSEBUMPS?  DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GEESE?

D:  THAT’S A FUN QUESTION.  I’VE HAD GOOSEBUMPS BEFORE, BUT I’M NOT SURE EVERYONE LISTENING HAS EXPERIENCED THEM, SO WHY DON’T WE DESCRIBE WHAT GOOSEBUMPS ARE?

O:  GOOSEBUMPS ARE TINY BUMPS THAT FORM ON THE SKIN WHEN YOU FEEL A CERTAIN WAY.

D:  I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I’VE HAD GOOSEBUMPS WHEN I’VE BEEN VERY COLD, AND ALSO WHEN I’VE BEEN FRIGHTENED.  

O:  I’VE HAD GOOSEBUMPS FOR THE VERY SAME REASONS AS YOU.

G:  GOOSEBUMPS USUALLY OCCUR ON THE FOREARMS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO HAPPEN ON THE LEGS OR NECK.

O:  THEY CAN HAPPEN JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE THAT YOU GROW HAIR.  SOME PEOPLE HAVE EVEN EXPERIENCED GOOSEBUMPS ON THE FACE OR HEAD.  

D:  WE DON’T USUALLY CONTROL OUR GOOSEBUMPS.  THE BODY FORMS THEM AUTOMATICALLY.  

O:  WHEN YOU ARE COLD OR FEEL SOME STRONG EMOTIONS, THE BRAIN CAN SEND A SIGNAL TO TINY MUSCLES UNDER THE SKIN AND MAKE THEM CONTRACT.  WHEN THE MUSCLES AT THE BASE OF EACH HAIR DO THIS, THE HAIRS STAND STRAIGHT UP AND PULL THE SKIN UP, CAUSING TINY BUMPS TO FORM ON THE SKIN.      

D:  BUT, WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?  THE MOST COMMON REASONS PEOPLE GET GOOSEBUMPS ARE WHEN THEY ARE COLD AND WHEN THEY ARE FRIGHTENED, BUT DO GOOSEBUMPS ACTUALLY WARM US UP?  DO GOOSEBUMPS PROTECT US WHEN WE ARE FRIGHTENED?

O:  IT’S UNLIKELY THAT GOOSEBUMPS WOULD DO MUCH TO WARM US UP, BUT THAT HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.  HUMANS USED TO BE MUCH HAIRIER, SO IT’S POSSIBLE THAT HUMANS LONG, LONG AGO WERE ABLE TO WARM UP WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED GOOSEBUMPS. 

D:  GOOSEBUMPS ARE SLIGHTLY EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING HEAT LOSS WHICH COULD WARM US UP JUST A BIT, BUT OTHER ANIMALS THAT HAVE MORE HAIR, OR LOTS OF FUR, GET MUCH MORE OF A BENEFIT FROM GOOSEBUMPS WHEN THEY ARE COLD, BECAUSE ALL OF THEIR HAIR OR FUR STANDING UP HELPS KEEP THEM WELL INSULATED, TRAPPING HEAT CLOSE TO THEIR BODIES.  

O:  WHY DO HUMANS GET GOOSEBUMPS WHEN THEY ARE FRIGHTENED?

D:  FOR HUMANS, AND OTHER ANIMALS AS WELL, GOOSEBUMPS ARE PART OF SOMETHING CALLED THE “FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE”.  WHEN HUMANS ENCOUNTER SOMETHING VERY SURPRISING OR FRIGHTENING, THE BODY HAS A RESPONSE CALLED THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE.  

O: DURING THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE, THE BODY PREPARES ITSELF TO FIGHT OR TO FLEE AND TRY TO ESCAPE THE DANGER.  

D:  AND, THINGS HAPPEN ALL OVER THE BODY DURING FIGHT OR FLIGHT.  FOR EXAMPLE, THE HEART BEATS VERY FAST, THE MOUTH GETS DRY, AND SHAKING MAY OCCUR.  LOTS OF ANIMALS HAVE A FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT IS FRIGHTENING OR STIMULATING, LEADING TO GOOSEBUMPS, ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT SEE THE GOOSEBUMPS BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERED BY HAIR OR FUR.  

O:  I’VE EVEN SEEN IT IN OUR DOG KHLOE.  IF SHE SEES AN ANIMAL, LIKE A SQUIRREL, RUNNING AROUND IN THE BACKYARD, SHE SOMETIMES STARTS TO BARK AND A STREAK OF HAIR RUNNING DOWN HER BACK STARTS TO STAND UP.  

D:  WHAT HAPPENS WITH PORCUPINES IS ALSO SIMILAR.  WHEN THEY FEEL THREATENED, THEY HAVE A SIMILAR REACTION AND THEY RAISE THEIR QUILLS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.  

O:  IN ANIMALS WITH LOTS OF HAIR OR FUR, THE REACTION THAT RESULTS IN GOOSEBUMPS CAN RAISE THEIR HAIR OR FUR, MAKING THEM LOOK LARGER, AND MAYBE SCARING AWAY THEIR ENEMIES.  

D:  ONCE AGAIN, GOOSEBUMPS THEMSELVES DON’T DO MUCH TO PROTECT HUMANS, ALTHOUGH THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE THAT LEADS TO GOOSEBUMPS HELPS KEEP US ALERT AND PREPARES US TO ACT QUICKLY.  

O:  SO, WHY DO HUMANS STILL GET GOOSEBUMPS WHEN THEY DON’T SEEM TO DO MUCH TO KEEP US WARM OR PROTECT US, LIKE THEY DO IN OTHER ANIMALS?

D:  IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE GOOSEBUMPS USED TO ACTUALLY DO THOSE THINGS IN HUMANS BUT DON’T ANY LONGER.  THAT WOULD MAKE GOOSEBUMPS VESTIGIAL.  THAT’S PROBABLY A NEW WORD FOR MANY OF US.  THE WORD VESTIGIAL IS USED TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT USED TO SERVE A PURPOSE, BUT DUE TO EVOLUTION, NO LONGER SERVES THE SAME PURPOSE OR ANY PURPOSE AT ALL.  THERE ARE LOTS OF EXAMPLES OF HUMAN VESTIGIALITY.  THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A PALMAR GRASP REFLEX, WHICH, LIKE GOOSEBUMPS, IS A VESTIGIAL REFLEX.

O:  WITH THE PALMAR GRASP REFLEX, A BABY WILL CLOSE IT’S HAND AROUND AN OBJECT PLACED IN IT’S HAND.  I REMEMBER DOING THIS WITH NOAH.  I WOULD PLACE MY FINGER IN HIS HAND, AND HE WOULD SLOWLY CLOSE HIS HAND AROUND MY FINGER.  IT WAS SO CUTE.

D:  IT SURE WAS, BUT WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE BESIDES BEING ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE?  WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PALMAR GRASP REFLEX ORIGINATED LONG AGO WITH OUR EVOLUTIONARY COUSINS, THE PRIMATES.  FOR MONKEY INFANTS, THE REFLEX IS IMPORTANT IN ALLOWING THEM TO HANG ON TO THEIR MOTHER’S BODY FUR TO STAY SAFE.  THESE DAYS, IT DOESN’T SEEM TO SERVE MUCH OF A PURPOSE FOR HUMANS.  

O:  THERE ARE EVEN BODY PARTS THAT MAY BE VESTIGIAL.  

D:  HUMANS HAVE A BODY PART CALLED AN APPENDIX, WHICH DOESN’T SEEM TO SERVE A PURPOSE, AND IT IS OFTEN REMOVED, IN A PROCEDURE CALLED AN APPENDECTOMY, TO AVOID OR TREAT AN INFECTION CALLED APPENDICITIS.  

O:  EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T DO MUCH FOR HUMANS NOW, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE APPENDIX USED TO BE IMPORTANT IN DIGESTION FOR HUMANS.

D:  BIOLOGISTS THINK THAT OUR ANCESTORS NEEDED THE APPENDIX TO HELP DIGEST TOUGH FOOD, LIKE TREE BARK.  EVER SINCE HUMANS STARTED EATING MORE EASILY DIGESTIBLE FOODS, THE APPENDIX STARTED TO BECOME LESS IMPORTANT OVER TIME.  THERE ARE SCIENTISTS THAT EVEN THINK THAT THE APPENDIX WILL TOTALLY DISAPPEAR FROM HUMANS OVER TIME BECAUSE IT IS NOT BEING USED.  THAT’S SUPER INTERESTING.

ALRIGHT OLIVIA, LET’S ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.  WHY ARE GOOSEBUMPS CALLED GOOSEBUMPS AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE?

O:  IT’S BECAUSE IT DESCRIBES THE WAY A GOOSE’S SKIN LOOKS AFTER IT’S FEATHERS ARE PLUCKED.  GOOSE FEATHERS GROW FROM HAIR FOLLICLES THAT ARE A LOT LIKE HUMAN HAIR FOLLICLES.  WHEN THEIR FEATHERS ARE PLUCKED, SMALL BUMPS REMAIN ON THE SKIN.  OUR GOOSEBUMPS RESEMBLE THOSE BUMPS, HENCE GOOSEBUMPS.  

D:  FUN FACT… GOOSEBUMPS CAN GO BY OTHER NAMES AS WELL, SUCH AS GOOSE FLESH AND GOOSE PIMPLES. 

WELL THAT’S A WRAP FOR THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.

O:  188 - GOOSEBUMPS.

D:  GREAT JOB OLIVIA, AND GREAT JOB TO PORTER FOR THE HAIR-RAISING TOPIC SUGGESTION.  IT’S TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO SOME AWESOME PEOPLE.

O:  THANK YOU TO RENEE P. AND JOCELYN L. FOR HELPING TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST ON PATREON.

D:  A BIG THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.  WE HOPE YOU ENJOY ALL THE EXTRA ACCESS YOU GET AS A CKP SUPPORTER.

O:  WE ALSO WANT TO THANK USERNAME ELSIE C. FOR THE 5 STAR REVIEW.

D:  IT SAYS “YOUR PODCAST IS SO AWESOME!  MY MOM AND I DISCOVERED IT LAST YEAR WHILE I WAS DOING DISTANCE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTEN AND NOW WE LISTEN TO IT ON OUR WAY TO SCHOOL FOR 1ST GRADE.  YOUR PODCAST MAKES LEARNING MORE EXCITING AND FUN!  OLIVIA, YOU AND YOUR DAD DO A GREAT JOB, THANK YOU!  FROM AARON IN CALIFORNIA.”

O:  THAT WAS AWESOME.  THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS AARON.  WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO THE PODCAST.  

D:  IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL FOR US LIKE OUR BUDDY PORTER AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’RE CURIOUS ABOUT, AND MAYBE HEAR YOUR VOICE ON THE PODCAST IN AN UPCOMING EPISODE, CALL 856-425-2324.  DON’T FORGET TO GIVE US YOUR NAME, AGE, AND HOMETOWN SO WE CAN THANK YOU WHEN WE PLAY YOUR VOICEMAIL IN THE PODCAST.  NEXT WEEK, WE WILL GET CURIOUS ABOUT OWLS FOR LISTENERS IN MINNESOTA AND CANADA.  AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND GETTING CURIOUS WITH US.