There is a scene in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, the Marvel movie released in 2017, where the character of Mantis – an alien played by Pom Klementieff – touches Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill on the hand. “You feel love!” she tells him, her face beaming. “I guess, yeah,” he replies, nervously. “I feel a general, unselfish love for just about everybody…” “No! Romantic, sexual love,” she says, before pointing a finger at Quill’s teammate, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora. “For her!”
Some superheroes have superstrength. Others f ly. Mantis’s superpower is a souped-up version of empathy, meaning that she can touch someone and feel their emotions as though they were her own. Yet according to neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett, author of new book Emotional Ignorance, this isn’t quite as fantastical as it sounds. In fact, it’s merely an extreme version of something we already do.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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THE HUNGER GAME
Obesity is on the rise, but as we blame our unhealthy food-ridden environment and look to wonder drugs to get rid of unwanted fat, what role do our genetics play?
HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END
A colossal supercollider now in the early stages of development may one day help us predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. With it, scientists will be trying to find a hidden instability built into the fabric of existence... an instability that could destroy everything
DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us
TAKE-OFF AT LAST
AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS AEROPLANES ARE FINALLY TAXIING TO REALITY. BUT ARE THEY THE SOLUTION WE NEED?
INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
The map is now the highest-resolution picture of the human brain ever created
HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL
Contrary to popular belief, radioactive material doesn't glow. But a team of nuclear forensics experts are working on a device to make it do just that. BBC Science Focus's Noa Leach meets the scientists behind the innovative device
MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG
While ultra-processed food is bad for your health, a decades-long study suggests it may not be as harmful as previously thought
ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED
Asteroid sampling mission will confirm whether moon-like Kamo'oalewa came from our Moon
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY
A new approach to dieting and exercise could help you lose weight and enhance your health
MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR
A satellite in the right place at the right time captured an important cosmic sight