countervail247365
2508483
2003
15
Hannah Fry
Oct 23, 2025 3:08 AM
countervail247365
2508483
2003
15
Hannah Fry
getthismanabeer
Much better than a chicken on a bus
HelikaformerNubisKnight9
If you stroke it as she describes it, it not only lower the heart rate and reduces stress, the scientists discovered it also works as a soft painkiller (like 250 mg Tylenol for comparison). So all the songs for children refering to stroking eases the pain are correct. (And in my dialect there's the term "ahle ahle mache" for exactly this form of pain- or stress reducing strokes).
McBzz
I knew without listening that this lady speaks with a British accent. Is there a “British look”?
Zioxyl
Dr Hannah Frye, if I'm not mistaken? I'm a fan. Nice books.
drums4lyfe
I was really hoping this was gonna be a long-winded setup for a solid middle finger. also wtf happened to this bizarre audio? one moment it's mono, the next it's out of phase stereo madness.
pritolus
Yeah that was really jarring on headphones. Seemed to happen more when she leaned in, maybe she's using some stereo microphone that's made to work past a certain distance and has phase issues if you come too close?
NOINITIATIVE
This explains alot, I spent the first month of my life in an incubator so it was all https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTY1YjkxZmJlZmpqYmJ2OGVheDltZzJqdDdoZ2wyNmN3ZjdyM21mOWNvOWVnYXkxZyZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/DkaZuJGcwwN32/200w.mp4
empressbobobell
Sadly, I think that a lot of adults these days haven’t been caressed by their mothers when they were babies…
Gaelig
hence the expression "ours mal léché" that applies to unpleasant people. It litteraly means that their mother did not lick them enough.
PosthumousExile
I thought this was Spanish and translated it to "bad milk" and it still kinda made sense
Gaelig
sorry, I should have explained. It is French and litterally means "bear not well licked"
Lalamehlala
Except of the 'motherly instinct' comment (I bet males got it too) I am excited! That sounds so helpful ❤️
lausianne
Exactly. Fathers do exactly the same, unless they had it somehow, sadly, untrained.
hildr
But if you do it for a bit too long at the same place, it starts to burn, sensor overload!
Riggityriggitywrecked1
I lost my mom when I was 11. She used to do this and I would say “can you tickle me?” All the time. Ever since I have craved that touch and have sought it out in close relationships as an adult. To hear this… my heart sank when she mentioned the study with the group of mothers. I miss her so much. I’m sorry, thank you all for letting me share.
Riggityriggitywrecked1
Also, I’m actually majoring in neuro so this is incredibly powerful to me. I will certainly be following up on this research. ❤️ thank you @OP for posting.
getadogupya
Why are we whispering?
ionlyregisteredtosavelinks
For the tiktok of course
AustralopithecusBoisei
not to wake up the babies, duh :)
UNDRCVRNORMI
Man
valkrez
We. Are. Animals.
IHaveAGuyForEverything
Same reason why new couples do this while holding hands. Shirt, small strokes by the thumb. You know you’ve done it and have had it done to you if you’ve had an SO. It’s built in. Love it.
Zunderfeuer
As someone being touch deprived for 30 years now, yeah I know (among other things) why I am so miserable that it slowly kills me
Justanotherimgurbrowser
Touch deprived for 4 months.
New to this.
It sucks.
My heart aches for just a hug.
I'm so sorry it's been so long for you.
I'd give you a hug/handshake/pat on the back anytime.
Zunderfeuer
Awkward high five?
Justanotherimgurbrowser
Deal!
But we have to keep going until it makes a satisfying clap, no matter how many times we miss!
butIlikeitbecauseitisbitterandbecauseitismyheart
You just made me cackle out loud. Thank you!
SnoiD
Aksjually it’s a figurative switch /pet peeve
MrStealYourGiF
My favorite "nosy biatch" 'coz she really digs into the why of everything.
Gutpilegutezeit
I've always wanted to do a RHM with her. She's awesome and wicked smart.
SchlongJohnson
Holy moly she's got great teeth.
NaughtButOne
"Why would evolution do this," because instilling sensations of affection increases the likelihood of securing mates, eventually leading to reproduction, and then protecting those offspring. We are biological machines, running chemical scripts.
akelamishari
And seeking our next hit of internal drugs (and external if available). Food delicious!-> work for meal. Exercise ->endorphins. Hugs or tightness-> oxytocin. Etc. these are arrows btw
rolliefingers
Motherfucker is this the scientific basis for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) ??
dirque
Fascinating. Whether it is instinct or learned probably needs a study or two.
LateNightBunnyParty
Hannah Fry is one of my favorite science educators. She's not only super knowledgeable, she presents info in a way that just about anyone can comprehend without feeling like she's talking down to people.
zylokun
mine seems to be signaling danger. In fairness, everything signals my danger sense.
DrRad
Perhaps if you have someone you trust do this for a while, you’ll find a different response.
ilikeriker
She’s awesome! I respect and I like her. I really really like her, but I also have more respect for her :)
EstoyPoopis
Oooooh some body has a crushhh
McUUID
Dr. Fry is certainly a cutie.
inthepines
Ooooooh, you like like her!
musicbylen666
volch1tsa
Her voice is triggering the same reaction she's describing in me.
DonL9
I have my nav system voice command set to an Australian woman. Regular android-y voice? "Yeah, whatever." Aussie woman's voice? " Okay. Sure thing."
Shit maybe it's some kink I didn't know I had. 😆
huffnpuff72
Is there another set of neurons that shout 'too soft' coz while I like that soft physical touch, it needs to be firm enough too. One of my kids frequently comes up and strokes my arm, leg, but it just makes me pull away because it's too soft. Kid is learning though, slightly firmer is better for me.
pritolus
Hating soft touch and loving pressure is very common in autistic people, just saying
huffnpuff72
Its a spectrum. We're all on it.
akelamishari
As usual, experiments are statistical and its a spectrum. Some need faster or slower, softer or firmer. Studies go to the average, mean or bell curve. Outliers always exist. Autism spectrum has people who are too sensitive to touch (averse even) and those who need more intense input to feel similarly.
petrichordreams
Thirsty comments aside, it is so immensely valuable and rare when a person in a vocation is happy and excited about it. Especially if that vocation is disseminating education and imparting knowledge. Imagine if we had science teachers like this in school.
infernalspectre
In my experience, many teachers start like this and then get hammered down by overloaded class sizes, unsupportive admin, and some shitty parents.
WhatisBug
I was very lucky to have several good teachers like this
hyjukilo
I had a chemistry a teacher like this in school. And yes, their enthusiasm is completely infectious. There's something a bit extra about the way they talk about their subject, draws you in. They want to impart their knowledge. They love to talk about it. They want to demonstrate, want you to understand - not just get a passing grade but to maybe lead down the same path. Complete contrast to the biology teacher who was just throwing book stuff at us. No surprise I got way higher chemistry marks.
MaverickTitan
This is why I really like Neil deGrasse Tyson. He ‘LOVES’ his job, and he is incredibly good at expressing it to others. His joy is downright infectious.
prosper020
I’ve been told by former students that I was a teacher like that (math and physics) but unfortunately I got ptsd, and my state refused to help or work with me at all to find the continuing education I needed to keep my certificate valid during COVID. Tons of CE got rightly canceled, but the need for it stayed rigid and unforgiving. They watched as I could do nothing to keep my cert from exp. They said a lot about getting new teachers in, but did fuck all about keeping current teachers teaching.
monkeyfly
I love watching people talk about something they care about. I'm not a teacher but I've always enjoyed instructing when it's come up in my working life. Taking someone who knows nothing about a subject and getting them to a point where they can go and use a skill independently in a real world situation is a great feeling.
ilikeriker
Exactly! She’s awesome!
morningxafter
I don’t teach kids (well, not literal children anyway), I teach junior-ranked navy electricians how to electrician better. Most of them have only been in the navy a couple years. But I get excited about some topics that I teach too. I love seeing the (figurative) lightbulb go on over their heads when I explain something the right way and they come to understand something that they didn’t understand before.
eca05jrc
"Steve, you have to stop stroking the junior navy electricians"
trigonman3
"But they like it!"
GordonFreeman59
That's pretty much my exact definition of a good teacher. Your electricians pupils are lucky !
morningxafter
Aww, thanks!
DeKetsendeRechter
Who the hell edited the audio?
It keeps doing an annoying doubling and panning stereo effect, for absolutely no reason.
ByThePowerOfSCIENCE
it could be a stereo mic placed close enough to get noticeable time-of-flight and intensity differences between channels as she moves
DeKetsendeRechter
Except it doesn't happen when she leans close, but at random.
DrakeDoe
It is likely this was originally uploaded to Tik Tok or threads reels, whatever, with audio hard baked into the video when it was really uploaded to Youtube they used the software for removing the audio that was copyrighted so they could have this be monetized. And now it's here on Imgur.
DeKetsendeRechter
I hate that.
Kablooeeey
I'd be totally down to starting a 100% non-sexual club where people could just hold each others hands and stoke their skin to let them know they are loved and valuable and they matter. I'm really averse to human contact. I haven't hugged a human since my mom died. I'd push thru my issues and hold anyone's hand that could use the touch. But I'm sure the creepers would destroy any such attempt to just be good people to others. :(
oldshot
I got nothin' scientific...but watching that woman stroke the baby's arm with her thumb(about 20 times as my mind lulled) I realized the time it took me to take that thumb stroke and then reset my thumb for another pass was really really close to the speed of my relaxed breathing.
mouthfullofpebbles
I knew a woman in the 2000-2010's who worked with tactile massages (this type of stroking, focused on the back, arms and neck, for people who can't have muscle massage for any reasons). She said a lot of people started crying explosively their first few visits due to the shock of human touch. After those first visits most people just fell asleep instantly. It's really sad, but I bet she helped a lot of people feel a hell of a lot better. It probably helps with a lot of pain symptoms as well?
Srcsqwrn
A freakin Cuddle Club
Lugh314159
Cuddle parties exist. Look them up or start one of your own! (After doing proper research!! 😔)
Strahnariffic
I'm having a "two kinds of people" moment, as my first thought was that I bet we could build a device to simulate this.
morebooksthanmusic
It has been done, from my interpretation of the tone of your comment it is less creepy than you think. Here is a video from 14 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBpg8ixEbCg
Zin7
what if they are not loved and valued. YOu'd lie to them?
HeyHeyDoubleA
I started classes in jujitsu, and I swear more than half the big bulky guys are there because they just need hugs, and that’s really what jujitsu is! (It’s also involuntary yoga and the art of laundry folding with someone still wearing the outfit.)
Affray
Yes, but also some dudes are just rough and tumble types who need to wrastle with someone just because.
v
HeyHeyDoubleA
You are not wrong! There is a young man who does 2-3 successive classes multiple times a week to get his wiggles out. But we do a lot of hugging too.
pritolus
Look for a local LGBTQ inclusive sex positive/kink club. They tend to run cuddle parties and other wholesome nonsexual events as well as a number of workshops (depending on the size of your city), some of which are bound to interest you.
goonislovegoonislife
0 https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1ZDVkZGJuem91eTVpb211bHA1cnh4eHVncm9sdGRzeWptcmZvenBoYSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/kCNFfgWZxYjKeU9btW/200w.webp
Kablooeeey
I don't want to cuddle. That's waaaaaaaay too much for me. I'd just like to hold someones hand.
lausianne
In a good "cuddle club" there will be kind people who happily give you exactly what you ask for. Respecting boundaries is the first rule. Everyone there wants and needs to feel safe.
mrsdowneyjr
My dream job would be a professional cuddler but I'm too scared
redsmerf
There are actual professional cuddlers, which I'm sure this is part of
inboxmefoxes
So I vend at furry cons throughout the year, and at a more than a few of them, something called a *cuddle party* is run by a group of folks. It's the most chill, soft vibes, soft music, dim lights, cushions covering a big hotel suite. And there's a social expectation of just having strangers ask if you're down for cuddles, and then just... wrapping around one another and holding each other. And it's the most beautiful experience, seriously.
hipifreq
That was definitely a thing back in the 90s rave scene, particularly at after-parties. Just a big, soft room full of low couches and cushions with softer trance music playing and everyone just drops into a big cuddle puddle.
EatinButtsAndBustinNuts
Wow, that's incredible. People can be pretty great sometimes. +1 knowledge acquired