Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation • Hacker News Board

Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#1

Post by sofal » Sat, May 23, 2009, 3:19 PM UTC

Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation
amasci.com

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#2

Post by alanthonyc » Sat, May 23, 2009, 5:25 PM UTC

Just reading that article made me cringe. He may be right, but I couldn't finish it to be sure.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#3

Post by jws » Sat, May 23, 2009, 8:29 PM UTC

I suppose we can look forward to new class of crowd suppression, area denial weapons now.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#4

Post by ryanwaggoner » Sat, May 23, 2009, 8:56 PM UTC

alanthonyc wrote: post #2

Just reading that article made me cringe. He may be right, but I couldn't finish it to be sure.

I couldn't even click on the link. Ugh.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#5

Post by noss » Sun, May 24, 2009, 12:18 AM UTC

Summary: his theory is that it is similar to the sound of you damaging your teeth, since teeth have no nerve endings, the sound of them being damaged makes you cringe.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#6

Post by asdlfj2sd » Sun, May 24, 2009, 12:41 AM UTC

As good a theory as any. But: If I'm right, then ANY toothed animal is programmed to respond to it What about animals with teeth which regrow or continuously grow like rabbits?

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#7

Post by ars » Sun, May 24, 2009, 2:50 AM UTC

"It's the sound of body damage; but it's a particular type of body damage for which there is no pain ...yet no healing."

That's not actually true. Teeth do heal - which hurts his theory, except that while they do heal, they don't do it well, so there could be something to it.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#8

Post by tokenadult » Sun, May 24, 2009, 4:28 AM UTC

The sound has never bothered me at all.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#9

Post by baddox » Sun, May 24, 2009, 5:14 AM UTC

noss wrote: post #5

Summary: his theory is that it is similar to the sound of you damaging your teeth, since teeth have no nerve endings, the sound of them being damaged makes you cringe.

And he surmises that the sense of hearing evolved from the need to protect teeth. Seems that nerve endings in teeth would have been more likely to evolve.

Re: Fingernails on Blackboard - Possible Explanation

#10

Post by likpok » Sun, May 24, 2009, 5:41 AM UTC

baddox wrote: post #9

noss wrote: post #5

Summary: his theory is that it is similar to the sound of you damaging your teeth, since teeth have no nerve endings, the sound of them being damaged makes you cringe.

And he surmises that the sense of hearing evolved from the need to protect teeth. Seems that nerve endings in teeth would have been more likely to evolve.

More nerve endings in teeth mean it's harder to eat if you get decay or are eating something hard. Given the state of dental hygiene back in the day, it makes some sense.