Shiny: Why we are dazzled by new sparkly things
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 20 September 2024
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Apple releases the new iPhone 16. It's new, it's shiny, and tech-nerds will be queueing round the block for a chance to snap it up. But why? We look at the science behind why we get so dazzled with new and shiny things.
We hear about the psychology behind our magpie tendencies, and find out it might all be connected to one of our deepest evolutionary drives: for clean, fresh, sparkling water.
And we find out what the shiniest thing in the natural world is. An extraordinary blue berry with some mesmerising visual qualities.
We find out about diamonds made from your dead pets. And, we dissect the science behind the first flush of love. Why do we get so obsessed with a new partner? And why doesn't the feeling last?
Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Kai Kupferschmidt and Phyllis Mwatee Producer: Harrison Lewis, with Emily Knight, Noa Dowling and Elizabeth Barsotti Sound engineer: Searle Whittney
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In 2019, we began investigating the disappearance of Dr. Ruzha Ignatva. |
| 0:08.0 | I believe we are a very special network. |
| 0:10.0 | A scammer who stole billions from investors around the world. |
| 0:15.0 | She's on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list. |
| 0:18.0 | And now, we have some unmissable updates. She has money and when you have |
| 0:23.0 | money you have power. Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues. |
| 0:29.5 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. This week, I've been wearing a device designed to look inside my mind. It's called a beeper. |
| 0:42.4 | I go about my day as usual and then suddenly, beep, a noise erupts in my ear. |
| 0:48.1 | Then I have to write down exactly what I'm thinking, or more accurately how I'm thinking, |
| 0:53.7 | before the beeper rudely interrupts me. |
| 0:56.2 | Am I thinking in words, pictures or just feeling something? |
| 1:00.1 | The beepers used by scientists to better understand our inner thoughts. |
| 1:03.9 | They can't just ask people what they're thinking, because if you try to think about what |
| 1:07.9 | you're thinking, you change what you're thinking. |
| 1:10.7 | So that element of surprise, or should I say unexpected element, is important. |
| 1:17.0 | Except for me, it's not working so well, because most of the time, all I'm thinking is, |
| 1:21.2 | is this thing about to go off and make me jump again? |
| 1:24.3 | I'm Caroline Steele from the BBC World Service. |
| 1:26.9 | This is Unexpected Elements. |
| 1:43.0 | Joining me and my beeper in Nairobi in the BBC's Kenya office, we have journalist Phyllis Mwati. |
| 1:48.1 | Lovely to see you again, Phyllis. |
| 1:49.8 | Hello, Caroline. |
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