Your Breath Changes When You’re Watching a Scary Movie
15th May 2016
The composition of theatergoers’ breath fluctuates along with movie scenes, according to a study published this week in Nature’s Scientific Reports. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Johannes Gutenberg University found that they could reliably map the chemical patterns of a movie as it progressed through heart-racing scenes and calm ones. During Hunger Games, for instance, carbon dioxide and isoprene levels increased whenever Katniss was fighting for her life. The researchers think isoprene levels correspond with suspense.
Hey, tenure doesn’t grow on trees, you know.
Cue whine about difficulty getting funding, preferably from taxpayers.