My Science School

Nostalgia

This noun refers to one's fond memories or longing for something from the past. Invariably it could be something that one cannot possibly have or experience now or anymore.

Origin

The word has a very interesting history. The Greek words nostos means "returning home" while algos means "pain". In modern Latin, algos became algia. In essence, the word referred to the pain that results from wanting to return home. Swiss physician Johannes Hofer coined the term around the 18th Century when he found Swiss soldiers in a foreign place with a yearning to get back home. However, it was seen as a medical condition, leading us to believe that the emotional state was not completely understood then. Towards the end of the 19th Century, the word gradually lost its association as a disease, and began to be described as a yearning for a better past.

Example

Ever since I moved to another city, I’ve often been overcome with nostalgia for my home town.

Picture Credit : Google

The word ‘tickle’ is derived from the Old English word tinclian meaning ‘to touch lightly’. Tickling can be divided into two classes of sensation: Knismesis is a mild sensation caused by a light movement on the skin, such as from a crawling insect, that doesn’t produce laughter and is often accompanied by an itching sensation. Gargalesis refers to a harder, laughter-inducing movement, and involves the repeated application of high pressure to sensitive areas.

These reactions are thought to be limited to humans and other primates, although some research has indicated that rats can also be tickled in this way. A German study also indicates that the gargalesis type of tickle triggers a defense mechanism for humans in the hypothalamus conveying submissiveness or fleeing from danger.

It might be tempting to speculate that areas of the skin that are the most sensitive to touch would also be the most ticklish, but this does not seem to be the case. While the palm of the hand is far more sensitive to touch, most people find that the soles of their feet are the most ticklish. Other commonly ticklish areas include the sides of the torso, underarms, ribs, midriff, neck, back of the knee, thighs, buttocks, and perineum. Some evidence suggests that laughing associated with tickling is a nervous reaction that can be triggered; indeed, very ticklish people often start laughing before actually being tickled.

Picture Credit : Google