David J. Linden, is a professor of neuroscience at the John Hopkins School of Medicine and New York Times bestselling author of The Compass of Pleasure. His latest book Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind examines the sensation of touch – from its biology to its vital role in every aspect of the human experience. Millions of years of evolution have endowed us with areas of the brain that are dedicated to processing touch signal; with a series of dedicated sensors and nerve fibers that predispose us to respond to a stimulus like a caress, but only if it’s administered at the proper velocity; with receptors in our skin that
make mint feel cool and chili peppers hot. There are actually two different systems for processing touch: one to extract basic sensory information, and another to register its particular emotional context. Without the latter, an orgasm would feel more like a sneeze – convulsive, but not especially compelling. Because of the latter, a gentle pat from a lover administered during an argument might feel as welcome as a spider crawling across your arm. On the next edition of Life Elsewhere, Norman B will delve into Linden’s engaging book and ask, “What makes an orgasm feel so good?”, “How come we can’t read Braille with our genitals?” and “Does the brain manipulate pain and our sense of touch?”

Make sure you don’t miss David J. Linden, author of Touch, next on Life Elsewhere. New time and new place: Sunday, 12 noon ET at WMNF The Source HD3. It’s easy to listen, click here in your browser. And, you can listen on your iPhone or iPad, get the new WMNF player here. Life Elsewhere can also be heard at NWCZ Radio, every Monday at 5.00pm Pacific Time.

Read Norman B’s interview with Martin “Youth” Glover in Trebuchet Magazine