Listen "Why do we pull faces when we concentrate?"
Episode Synopsis
Do you stick your tongue out or scowl when you concentrate? Maybe, like one of our listeners, you screw up your face when you’re playing music. Do these facial expressions actually help with the task in hand? And could they hold clues to humans’ evolutionary past?
In this edition of CrowdScience we tackle the science of face-pulling, along with several more burning science questions sent in from listeners around the world. We explore why it’s almost impossible to talk without moving your hands; and why bilingual people often switch to the first language they learned when they’re counting, even if they speak another language the rest of the time.Presented by Anand Jagatia and Marnie Chesterton
Produced by Cathy Edwards(Photo: A boy sits at a table, looking down in concentration as he draws in a note pad. Credit: Getty Images)
In this edition of CrowdScience we tackle the science of face-pulling, along with several more burning science questions sent in from listeners around the world. We explore why it’s almost impossible to talk without moving your hands; and why bilingual people often switch to the first language they learned when they’re counting, even if they speak another language the rest of the time.Presented by Anand Jagatia and Marnie Chesterton
Produced by Cathy Edwards(Photo: A boy sits at a table, looking down in concentration as he draws in a note pad. Credit: Getty Images)
More episodes of the podcast CrowdScience
How do cicadas know what season it is?
09/01/2026
Did I inherit my laugh?
05/01/2026
The CrowdScience quiz of the year
26/12/2025
How do we adapt to the cold?
19/12/2025
Can you play the guitar underwater?
12/12/2025
Can we turn deserts green?
05/12/2025
How big is a rainbow?
28/11/2025
Why do we cry?
21/11/2025
Do tsunamis affect marine life?
14/11/2025
Are near-death experiences real?
07/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.