← All examples

Why you can't tickle yourself

KinowildMade from a pasted script

English · Stickman animation · 6 scenes · 0:51 · 16:9

Your brain predicts your own touch, and turns the volume down.

Watch on YouTube
Settings used
Format
16:9 YouTube
Scenes
6
Narration
English, female narrator
Captions
On, burned in
Quality
Full HD 1080p
Style
White paper, classic line

These were the only choices made. The scenes, pictures, narration timing and captions were all made from the script.

Scenes 6

Script 132 words

Try to tickle yourself right now. Nothing happens, right?

That's because your brain is a prediction machine. Every time you move, it sends a copy of the command to the cerebellum, which predicts exactly what you are about to feel.

When the touch arrives exactly as predicted, your brain turns the volume down. No surprise, no tickle.

In 1998, scientists at University College London built a robot that let people tickle their own hand. When the robot copied the movement instantly, it barely tickled.

But when they added a tiny delay, a fraction of a second, the same touch suddenly felt far more ticklish. The brain's prediction was off, so the touch felt new.

So your brain isn't ignoring you. It's just very, very good at knowing what you're about to do.

This is exactly what was pasted. The director turned it into 6 scenes.

Paste your script. Get a video like these.

Three motion graphics videos are free every month, up to 40 seconds each, with no watermark. You approve the plan before anything is made.

Make your first video