Looming

Why can a deadline weeks away cast a shadow over today, while a threat such as climate change can feel distant? Fraser, Nick and Peter explore how we detect approaching danger and how that response drives anxiety, fear and procrastination.

The conversation begins with locusts watching Star Wars, then moves from collision avoidance to the way humans judge threats. Along the way, the team discusses why diaries can make future obligations feel closer, the time-as-distance metaphor, whether making a deadline feel urgent actually helps and how an endlessly rising sound can create a sense that something is about to happen.

Rind and Simmons describe what happens when locusts watch Star Wars: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1479436/

Sharp Edge Eye Syndrome: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9675685/

Threat imminence and the periaqueductal grey: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17717184/

Threatening students seem closer than repulsive students: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23160204/