Search

Showing results for “Touch”

Jump to a topic

TouchTouch is an essential part of the human experience, used to establish connections and convey support, affection, sympathy, reassurance, and love. Research has provided scientific backing for the idea that consensual touch provides numerous health benefits through every stage of life. Humans' relationship with touch begins early: It's the first sense to develop during gestation, at around eight weeks. When we perceive touch, that information is first sent to the thalamus and then onward to the primary somatosensory cortex, which encodes the physical properties of touch. Touch also activates the brain's orbitofrontal cortex—the area of the brain associated with feelings of reward, compassion, and impulse control—which helps us determine whether the touch was pleasant or unpleasant and gauge how to respond. The identity of the toucher matters for newborns, with the greatest soothing benefit coming from a parental touch. But touch studies suggest that—for adults—the frequency of consensual touch matters more than who is doing the touching. Even nonhuman forms of touch, like experiencing a weighted blanket, or perhaps eventually robotic touch, could hold promise.Explore Touch

Iconic photos Fantasy Football Sears College Football Apple National Hockey League Smart Cities Declaration of Independence

What we've found

'Everything you look at can become a fairy tale and you can get a story from everything you touch.'- Danish author Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) GoodReads Brain-reading devices are helping paralyzed people to touchIn clinical trials, implanted brain-computer interfaces are allowing dozens of individuals with paralysis to control prosthetics that are restoring a range of skills, including drinking coffee and feeding oneself. One area of related prosthetic research is creating a synthetic sense of touch—coupling the brain implant with pressure sensors in prosthetic robotic fingertips to enable an approximation of a sense of touch. Blindfolded people could identify objects by touch alone a week after encountering themThese touch memories are more complex and durable than previously thought. In research published in 2018, blindfolded volunteers touched over 150 household objects for about 10 seconds each, and afterward correctly identified the objects more than 90 percent of the time when presented with the object and a similar one. Participants still knew most of the objects a week later with about 85 percent accuracy. (Some users may experience a paywall.) Scientific American Car touchscreen debuted on 1986 Buick Riviera, but floppedPreceding car infotainment centers by decades, the technology that was unveiled in the Buick elicited praise from auto journalists, but consumers did not make investments in the cars. SpaceX's Crew Dragon was the first crewed spacecraft piloted by touchscreenIn May 2020, NASA astronauts flying SpaceX's Crew Dragon to the International Space Station used touchscreen controls instead of traditional switches and dials, a significant shift for astronauts and how they pilot and interact with spacecraft. (Some users may experience a paywall.) The Verge Most advanced touch screens rely on electrical charge in your skinCapacitive touch screens store electrical charges in an electrostatic grid of tiny wires. When we touch the screen a tiny electrical charge is transferred from the screen to the finger to complete a circuit (since skin has positive and negative charges). This connection creates a voltage drop on that point of the screen. Cloth, however, doesn't conduct electricity, which is why humans can't wear thick gloves and operate their smartphones. A researcher thinks she knows why people keep touching museum exhibitsA museologist who studied unauthorized touch at the British Museum concluded that people may feel it's difficult to learn about things "unless you handle them" and that people are trying to connect with the past, viscerally. Her work has included interviewing British Museum visitors who committed unauthorized touches and spending extensive periods observing people touching prohibited items across 2004 and 2005. Atlas Obscura Efforts to build touch-enabled machines highlight the complexity of human touchThe challenges that engineers are facing as they try to reproduce a human's ability to touch and also give robots the ability to interpret that kind of sensory flow are furthering our understanding of the myriad intricacies of human touch—and the challenges in emulating it. The Conversation 73% of people report they crave more physical touch in their livesThis figure came from a 2019 survey of 110 adults and examined what's formally called a "touch gap." Touch helps reduce stress, strengthening our immune system, and overall well-being. It can also improve children's health, adjustment, and IQ scores. We can sense touch even through a toolResearch published in 2019 indicates that the same brain regions involved in sensing touch on the body also process it when humans use a tool to do the touching. Essentially, it's acting as a sensory extension of the body. (Some users may experience a paywall.) Scientific American Parents and romantic partners naturally touch at speeds optimizing nerve activationA small observational research study shows that when parents are asked to caress their infants and volunteers are asked to caress their partners, both groups spontaneously stroke their loved ones at velocities that, on average, fell within the optimal range to stimulate the C-tactile afferent nerve receptors. This wasn't the case when volunteers were asked to do the same with an artificial arm, which they stroked much faster. National Library of Medicine Touch helps newborns regulate stress, gain weight, and feel less painConclusions from this 2024 analysis from a team of Danish researchers included that touch interventions were particularly useful for newborns in regulating cortisol levels, helping newborns gain weight, and reducing pain. (Some users may experience a paywall.) Nature Generally, NBA basketball teams whose players touch each other more win more gamesThis 2010 research finding underscores the importance of touch in promoting trust, bonding, and cooperation, thereby apparently improving team success. Touch also promotes cooperation in other settings: In a separate "prisoner's dilemma" study, when the experimenter gently touched some participants with a quick pat on the back, the touched individuals were more likely to cooperate and share with their partner. Shorter, more frequent touches are better than longer, rarer onesThat's according to a 2024 meta-analysis of 137 studies on touch. It found that as long as the touch is consensual, the identity of the toucher mattered little for adults, and there was even a benefit to receiving "touch" from objects like weighted blankets or robots. For newborns, however, the identity of the toucher did matter, and the greatest benefit came from parental touch. Touch deprivation can heighten anxiety and depressionPacinian Corpuscles are pressure receptors just under the skin that send signals to the vagus nerve in the brain—that's the cranial nerve which regulates involuntary actions like breathing, heart rate, and the general "fight or flight" response. Activating those receptors can slow the heart, decrease blood pressure, and lead to the release of oxytocin and cortisol. The absence of touch, conversely, can promote negative feelings. Psychology Today Touch is the first sense a fetus develops in the wombDuring gestation, our sense of touch begins to develop around 8 weeks, starting with the development of sensory receptors in the face and, about a month later, in the palms and soles of the feet. How the brain's somatosensory system translates touch into an experienceWhen humans perceive touch, that information is sent to the thalamus and then onward to the primary somatosensory cortex, the part of the brain that receives sensory inputs. Scientists are learning to guide your dreams using sound and touchResearchers are using a technique called "targeted dream incubation"—where stimuli like sounds or vibrations are introduced as you drift off—to influence dream content and potentially improve creativity, memory consolidation, and PTSD treatment. With the same mechanism, companies could theoretically target sleeping consumers with brand suggestions while they're unaware and neurologically susceptible, or assist in reducing nightmares. The Walrus Heavy metal legends Black Sabbath touched on existentialist themesAlthough they’re primarily known for Ozzy Osbourne’s distinctive singing and Tony Iommi’s singular riffs, the metal icons Black Sabbath also have a body of work that explores existentialist questions about mankind’s purpose. Philosophy professor William Irwin unpacks the band's lyrics and applies them to some of existentialism’s major themes, drawing comparisons between the band and philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus. And Philosophy A Venus flytrap's hairs convert sensory touch into electrical signalsA stretch-activated ion channel called DmMSL10 acts as an amplifier, converting grazing contact into a strong impulse that the plant uses to react and close its jaw. To distinguish prey from raindrops or other stimuli, the jaw only closes when the hairs are touched twice in quick succession. ZME Science The most common types of touchscreens are capacitive and resistiveCapacitative screens are coated with a conductive material that creates a uniform electric field, which is disrupted by fingers. This disruption is registered by the device across a grid to determine where contact was made. Resistive screens identify touch when fingers push gap-separated sheets into contact with one another. HP Marina Abramović and Ulay experienced a touching reunion during ‘The Artist Is Present’Decades after their professional and personal breakup, the pair publicly reunited during Abramović’s popular MoMA show commemorating their previous collaborations. Their shared moment moved Abramović to tears and caused her to lean forward and grab his hands. Isidora Smiljkovic The Sooner Schooner is Oklahoma’s signature touchdown celebrationSince 1964, Oklahoma’s ponies, Boomer and Sooner, have pulled the Sooner Schooner—a Conestoga wagon replica—onto the field after scores, celebrating the university’s pioneer heritage. Peter Johnson Touching Howard’s Rock is Clemson football’s iconic pregame ritualSince the 1960s, Clemson players have rubbed Howard’s Rock—a rock that was gifted to Clemson by Death Valley, California—before running down the Hill into Memorial Stadium. Clemson Tigers In 2022, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched down on an asteroidDust of asteroid Bennu, slightly wider than the Empire State Building is tall, was found to be rich in carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds essential for life. The presence of magnesium-sodium phosphate indicated Bennu may have broken off from a primitive ocean world. NASA Science How do touchscreens work?Touchscreens have revolutionized digital interactions, but how they work widely varies depending on the device. Explore the history and workings of the most common types—capacitive and resistive—and new interaction methods incorporated into foldable screens and touchless interfaces. HP LSD was discovered accidentally after its inventor touched his face and hallucinatedUnlike many drugs, the first time a human ever tripped on acid was recorded first-hand by a scientist. Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, curious about the "not unpleasant intoxicated-like condition" that overcame him after an accidental exposure, set up a rigorous experiment to test the drug's effects on himself. Science History Institute A collection of Prince's hilarious encounters with comediansCharlie Murphy's story about Prince on "Chappelle's Show" became an oft-quoted touchstone in the 2000s, but it's not the only funny story a comedian has about the Purple One. This article collects some of the best from Conan O'Brien, David Alan Grier, and, yes, Charlie Murphy. Trove of posthumous paintings reveals Basquiat's technical skill and processThe Louisiana Museum of Modern Art exhibited 50 paintings by the artist in 2026 that had not been shown before. Focused primarily on heads and anatomy, the artworks are touched with signs of his process: smudges, footprints, splashes. The exhibit is annotated with comments from contemporary artists on Basquiat's visionary skill, with some describing him as one of the world's greatest. View a sampling and read more about them here. Wallpaper Items in the Curie Museum do not produce significant radioactivity todayIonizing radiation produced by elements such as uranium, polonium, and radium can damage living things, but the trace amounts found in the museum objects that Marie Curie once touched have been largely decontaminated, with more dangerous items stored in protective, lead-lined containers. SciShow Nerve axons become damaged by leprosy, so patients may lose feeling in their skinInfection of the peripheral nerves—nerves outside the brain and spinal cord—is a known complication of leprosy. That damage can cause patients to lose their sense of touch and the ability to feel pain or temperature in affected areas, leading to accidental injury. Merck Manual Expanding supermarket chains began offering coupons to attract customers in the 1940sThis was partially a customer acquisition strategy devised to lure customers into chains and away from their local independent grocers. Retail Touchpoints Colin Kaepernick’s ad with Nike won an EmmyColin Kaepernick’s 2018 “Dream Crazy” ad with Nike became a controversial touchpoint for American politics. While many liberals applauded Nike for siding with Kaepernick’s BLM protests, many conservatives boycotted and criticized the company. The Guardian 'Sesame Street' scrapped an episode about divorce because tests showed it deeply upset childrenThe 1992 episode, entitled "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce," left test audiences concerned rather than comforted, with many children left in tears. The show canned the episode before it aired and didn't address divorce until 20 years later, with a 13-minute online-only segment. TIME In 1969, one British taxi driver stole a Goya from the National Gallery in LondonFrancisco de Goya's portrait "The Duke of Wellington" was believed to be seized by a criminal mastermind. In reality, a 60-something cabby named Kempton Bunton confessed to the crime about four years later. In 2021, it was revealed that he was actually covering for the actions of his son. The heist has since been immortalized in the film "The Duke." ARTnews.com Fintech companies made it easier for merchants to request tips, leading to fatigueIn recent years, companies such as Square and Toast have created touch screen technologies prompting customers at coffee shops and casual restaurants to tip upwards of 25%. Despite the interesting psychological conundrum this presents to consumers, one tech columnist argues that shoppers don’t need to succumb to the pressure. NY Times Explore a website dedicated to reviewing books about the advertising industry“The Agency Review” reviews any book that touches advertising—from straight business books by the likes of David Ogilvy to a book about the history of bourbon. It has reviewed more than 200 books since the site started in 2012. The Agency Review Flu spreads through droplets in the air and on surfacesInfluenza passes mainly through tiny droplets released when sick people cough, sneeze or talk. The virus can also survive briefly on surfaces, allowing it to spread when others touch contaminated objects. NPR Some found the Temu ‘Shop Like a Billionaire’ Super Bowl ads out of place in the Big Game“It had no A-list celebrities or beloved cultural touchstones; not a single heartstring was tugged,” wrote one writer of the Temu ad that aired five times during the 2024 Super Bowl. The Atlantic Electromagnetic repulsion prevents objects from making contact with one anotherThe feeling of touching something is a sensation caused by the electromagnetic force between the electrons on the surface of objects. Since this force grows to infinity with proximity, no two surfaces can ever achieve matter-to-matter contact. Vsauce Auburn’s “Kick Six” in 2013 is one of college football’s most unforgettable finishesIn the 2013 Iron Bowl, Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as time expired—securing a 34–28 win and instantly etching the play into college football lore. Secret Base The College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams in 2024Beginning with the 2024 season, the playoff grew from four to 12 teams—adding first-round games on campus and aiming to give more programs a shot at the national title. Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the championship to become the first-ever 12-team playoff champions. ESPN College Football One fantasy football league has been running for over four decadesThe Fantasy Football League began in 1980, before fantasy football was available online. The group, which began in Northern California, originally used a touchdown-only format because it was easier to score in the preinternet era. The Press Democrat Fantasy football is a head-to-head game based on NFL statsCompetitors draft players from across the NFL, then earn points for their real in-game achievements, like touchdowns, receptions, and interceptions. The team with the most points in a given week wins. Snowman Sports Media A quick overview of Santa BarbaraThe central California city with the year-round Mediterranean climate weaves a fascinating history of indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and then US history. This three-minute overview touches on the city's layered story, distinct architecture, and many celebrities. CBS Sunday Morning A smartphone contains over a dozen rare earth elementsOne of the most important elements is indium, which makes up an electrically-conductive mesh beneath the display that provides touchscreen functionality. Alloys containing REEs are used in the magnets needed for the microphone and speaker. Visual Capitalist Spielberg improvised most of the iconic D-Day scene from 'Saving Private Ryan'Although action sequences are often tightly choreographed, one of cinema's most famous war scenes was mostly shot on the fly. Spielberg wrote seven pages (or approximately seven minutes of screen time) for the scene, though the final cut of the sequence was 25 minutes long. I Got Touched at the Cinema Learn how humans can protect coral reefsWhen diving and snorkeling in environments containing reefs, avoid touching reefs, anchoring on them, or using sunscreen with active ingredients harmful to marine life. Properly recycling and disposing of trash in bins helps reduce microplastics and chemicals that can run off into wastewater and into the oceans. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency A photographer's long-lost collection of images of mothersProfessional photographer Ken Heyman discovered a 50-year-old box of photos labeled "Mothers" in his storage unit, with images depicting various mothers with their children in touching, candid scenes. Check out the finest of the group with this gallery. HuffPost View the ten deadliest tornadoes in US historyThe Tri-State Tornado touched down in Shannon County, Missouri, on March 18, 1925, and killed 695 people as it traveled through Illinois and Indiana, making it the deadliest tornado in US history. The deadliest 21st-century tornado was in Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, killing 158 people and injuring over 1,000. NOAA

Try another search?