and turn it into money?

Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - with yet another scientific invention that proves just how

awesome - and simultaneously terrifying - the future will be.

A research team from South Korea has developed a sensor, capable of measuring goosebumps

on the human body in real time. The way it works is, they place a conductive

sensor on the surface of the skin - so when a person develops goosebumps, and their skin

buckles slightly - it creates a drop in the electrical charge that's stored in the sensor.

That allows researchers to precisely measure how big the goosebumps are, and how long they

last. Now why would something like this be useful?

Well, goosebumps are a physiological response - but they're also an emotional response,

so being able to measure someone's goosebumps, is a gateway to information about their emotional

state. It's kinda like the final frontier for biometric

monitoring. Obviously, not everyone's gonna be wearing one of these things all the time

- but in certain situations, like film screenings - it could allow marketers to see exactly

which parts of a movie people respond strongly to. From there, you can imagine personalized

advertisements, music, and tons of other services - catered specifically to the user.

The film industry has been doing something similar for years now - albeit, without this

technology. But audience reactions to test screenings have often informed the final edit

of a movie. So being able to harness that information, in a precise, measurable way

- could be extremely valuable to both marketers and advertisers.

Potential dystopian future aside, this article got me wondering - about why humans even get

goosebumps. What purpose do they serve? And how did they become a part of our biology?

Well, it turns out - they're a gift from our animal ancestors. And like many of the things

we've inherited, they serve no modern function whatsoever.

Beneath the surface of our skin, there are tiny muscles, called arrector pili muscles,

that attach to each individual hair follicle. When you're especially cold, those muscles

contract - creating tiny depressions in the skin, that cause everything around them to

stand up - including your hair.

Goosebumps actually get their name - because they strongly resemble the way a bird's skin

looks - after its feathers have been plucked.

Of course in animals with thick fur, this kind of physiological response makes total

sense. When their hair stands up, it creates an added layer of insulation around their

bodies, allowing them to retain more heat. Goosebumps are also the reason that animals

hair tends to stand up when they feel threatened. That, in combination with the stance they

assume - makes them appear bigger and more threatening to enemies.

Obviously, this reaction is useless for us humans - because we don't have thick layers

of fur. Well, most of us don't. But we still experience goosebumps, so what's causing them?

Well, it boils down to adrenaline, the stress hormone.

Animals release adrenaline when they're either cold, or under stress. It's what prepares

them for fight-or-flight situations. Humans experience the same thing - but in more kinds

of situations. When we're cold, when we're afraid, when we're under stress, or when we're

feeling strong emotions - all of those responses cause our bodies to release adrenaline. And

one of the hallmark features of an adrenaline rush - is the contraction of our skin muscles.

Hence, goosebumps. Aside from the fact that they serve no modern

purpose for humans - they're still one of the most obvious indicators of our current

emotional state. Now whether or not companies should be harnessing

that information - is a topic of much debate. So I'm curious to know what you guys think.

Could technology like this, be used for good? Or is it just another way for people to sell

us stuff?

Feel free to leave your responses in the comments below - and as always, thank you guys for

watching!