Hi there! Have you ever felt dizzy or nauseous while traveling in a car, on a boat, or even watching a movie? That’s called motion sickness, and today we’re going to explore what causes it.
Motion sickness happens when your body gets mixed signals about movement. Your inner ear, which is part of the vestibular system, helps you keep your balance and sense motion. When what you see doesn’t match what your inner ear senses, you might start feeling sick.
There are three main types of motion sickness:
This type includes air sickness, seasickness, and sometimes car sickness. Your inner ear senses motion, but your eyes don’t see it, which can make you feel dizzy or nauseous.
This can happen when you’re watching a movie on a big screen, like an IMAX film. Your eyes see movement, but your inner ear doesn’t sense it, leading to dizziness.
In this case, both your eyes and inner ear detect motion, but they don’t seem to match up. Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly why this causes motion sickness.
There are a few theories about why motion sickness happens:
This theory suggests that when your eyes and inner ear send conflicting signals to your brain, it causes dizziness and nausea.
This idea involves the vagus nerve, which sends signals to your brain. When your eye muscles react to motion, the vagus nerve might trigger feelings of nausea.
Some researchers think motion sickness might have a psychological aspect. If your brain gets mixed signals about movement, it might think something harmful is happening, causing nausea as a protective response.
In the 1970s, Dr. Michelle Teasman suggested that motion sickness could be an evolutionary response to food poisoning, helping us expel toxins.
Dr. Stoffan from the University of Minnesota has a different idea. He thinks motion sickness might not be related to the inner ear at all. Instead, it could be about how our body tries to maintain posture, leading to dizziness when it doesn’t succeed.
The Naval Aerospace Medical Institute is researching motion sickness to find better treatments. They discovered that it’s linked to neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in the brain. Interestingly, medicines for nausea from food poisoning or chemotherapy don’t work well for motion sickness, suggesting it’s a unique type of nausea.
Thanks for joining this exploration of motion sickness! If you have more questions, feel free to ask. See you next time!
Design a simple experiment to simulate motion sickness. Use a swivel chair to spin around while keeping your eyes closed, then open them to observe how your senses react. Discuss with your classmates how this relates to the conflict theory of motion sickness.
In groups, role-play different scenarios that cause motion sickness, such as being on a boat or watching a fast-paced movie. Each group should explain which type of motion sickness they are demonstrating and why it occurs.
Research the latest theories on motion sickness, like Dr. Stoffan’s idea about posture. Create a presentation to share your findings with the class, and discuss how these theories differ from traditional explanations.
Using your understanding of motion sickness, design a device or method to help prevent it. Present your design to the class, explaining how it addresses the causes of motion sickness.
Prepare questions and conduct an interview with a scientist or doctor who specializes in motion sickness. Share what you learn with the class, focusing on current research and treatments.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
—
Hi, I’m Craig, and welcome to this Mental Floss video. Today, I’m going to answer the question: What causes motion sickness?
Motion sickness occurs when someone experiences symptoms like nausea or dizziness because their perception of movement differs from what their vestibular system senses. The vestibular system, which is located in the inner ear, is responsible for sensing balance, motion, and equilibrium.
There are three different types of motion sickness. The first type includes conditions like air sickness, seasickness, and possibly car sickness, which happen when the vestibular system senses motion that isn’t visually perceived.
The second type occurs when the visual system detects motion, but the vestibular system does not. This can happen, for example, when watching an IMAX film, which may cause dizziness.
The final type of motion sickness happens when both the visual and vestibular systems sense motion, but they do not feel related. Experts are still researching the exact causes of motion sickness in these situations, but there are a few prevailing theories.
The most common theory suggests that the conflict between the visual and vestibular systems leads to dizziness. Another theory, known as the vagus hypothesis, proposes that motion sickness is linked to the vagus nerve, which transmits signals to the brain. This nerve reacts when the eye muscles exhibit the reflexive actions associated with detecting motion, potentially triggering feelings of nausea.
Additionally, some researchers believe that motion sickness may have a psychological component. In this view, the vestibular system informs the brain of detected motion, but if the eyes do not recognize that same motion, the brain may interpret this as a sign of something harmful, leading to nausea or vomiting as a way to expel the perceived “poison.”
In the 1970s, psychologist Dr. Michelle Teasman suggested that this response could be an evolutionary adaptation to food poisoning.
New theories are also emerging. For instance, Dr. Stoffan at the University of Minnesota has been studying motion sickness for years and believes it may not be connected to the inner ear at all. Instead, he theorizes that it relates to the body’s attempt to maintain posture, which can lead to dizziness when it fails.
The Naval Aerospace Medical Institute has also been researching motion sickness to develop treatments. They found that it is related to neurotransmitters. Interestingly, medications that treat nausea from food poisoning or chemotherapy do not effectively alleviate motion sickness, suggesting it is a distinct type of nausea.
Thanks for watching this Mental Floss video! If you have a big question of your own that you’d like answered, leave it in the comments. See you next week!
—
Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Motion – The change in position of an object over time. – When we study motion in biology, we often look at how animals move in their environments.
Sickness – A state of being ill or unwell, often due to infection or other medical conditions. – Motion sickness can occur when traveling by car or boat, causing discomfort and nausea.
Inner – Located inside or further within. – The inner ear plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and hearing.
Ear – The organ responsible for hearing and balance. – The ear detects sound waves and helps us maintain our balance.
Signals – Messages or impulses sent from one part of the body to another. – The brain receives signals from the eyes and ears to help us understand our surroundings.
Brain – The organ in the head that controls thoughts, memory, and other functions. – The brain processes information from our senses to help us react to the world.
Nausea – A feeling of sickness with an inclination to vomit. – Nausea can be a symptom of motion sickness when the brain receives conflicting signals from the eyes and inner ear.
Dizziness – A sensation of spinning or losing one’s balance. – Dizziness can occur when the inner ear is disturbed, affecting our sense of balance.
Psychological – Relating to the mind or mental processes. – Psychological factors can influence how we perceive pain and stress.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – Research in psychology helps us understand how the brain affects behavior.
