Hi, you're listening to cultivate
curiosity, a.
Podcast that inspires the next generation
to stay curious. Cultivate Curiosity is
brought to you by.
The Emerald Coast Science Center, a
nonprofit.
Interactive science museum and steam
educational facility in Fort Walton Beach,
Florida.
This podcast is perfect for anyone
curious.
About the world we live in, because
you never know what we'll talk about
next. Hi, I'm Diane Fraser, the director
at the Emerald Coast Science center.
Hi, I'm Harley, an educator and
the community affairs coordinator at the
Emerald Co Science center.
And hi, I'm Jacie and I'm the
social media coordinator here at the
Science center. And on today's episode,
we're exploring the captivating history,
enchanting mythology, and enduring modern
traditions of Valentine's Day, while also
uncovering the science behind our hearts
and emotions. So sit back, relax, and
let's dive into the mysteries of this
beloved holiday. Valentine's Day occurs
every February 14 across the United States
and around the world. Candy, flowers, and
gifts are exchanged between loved ones,
all in the name of Saint Valentine.
But who is this mysterious saint, and
where did these traditions come from? We
do know that February has long been
celebrated as a month of romance, and
that St. Valentine's Day contains vestiges
of both christian and ancient roman
traditions. The Catholic Church recognizes
at least three different saints named
Valentine and Valentinus, all of whom were
martyred. One legend contends that
Valentine was a priest who served during
the third century in Rome. When Emperor
Claudius, too, decided that single men
made better soldiers than those with wives
and families, he outlawed marriage for
young men. Valentine, realizing the
injustice of the decree, defied Claudius
and continued to perform marriages for
young lovers in secret. When Valentine's
actions were discovered, Claudius ordered
that he be put to death. Still
others insist that it was St. Valentine
of Turney, a bishop who was the
true namesake of the holiday. He, too,
was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.
It shocks me that there wasn't a
Valentino as Valentine or Valentinus.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may
have been killed for attempting to help
christians escape harsh roman prisons,
where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, an imprisoned
Valentine sent the first Valentine
greeting himself after he fell in love
with a young girl, possibly his jailer's
daughter, who visited him during his
confinement. Before his death, it is
alleged that he wrote her a letter
signed, from your Valentine, an expression
that is still in use today. Although
the truth behind the Valentine legends is
murky, the stories all emphasize his
appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most
importantly, romantic figure. By the
Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to his
reputation, Valentine would become one of
the most popular saints in England and
France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is
celebrated in the middle of February to
commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's
death or burial, which probably occurred
around ad 270, others claim that the
christian church may have decided to place
St Valentine's feast in the middle of
February, celebrating the ides of February
or February 15. Lupricalia was a fertility
festival dedicated to Faunus, the roman
God of agriculture, as well as the
roman founders Romulus and Remus. During
the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed
in France and England that February 14
was the beginning of bird's mating season,
which added to the idea that Valentine's
Day should be a day for romance.
The english poet Jeffrey Chaucer, who was
the first to record St Valentine's Day
as a day of romantic celebration in
his 1375 poem Parliament of fools, writing
for this was sent on St Valentine's
Day. Would every fool cometh there to
choose his mate? Valentine greetings were
popular as far back as the Middle
Ages, though written valentines didn't
begin to appear until after 1400. The
oldest known Valentine still in existence
today was a poem written in 1415
by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his
wife while he was imprisoned in the
Tower of London following his capsule at
the battle of Agncourt. Several years
later, it is believed that King Henry
V hired a writer named John Lidgate
to compose a Valentine note to Catherine
of Valwa. Cupid is often portrayed on
Valentine's Day cards as a naked cherub
launching arrows of love at unsuspecting
lovers. But the roman God Cupid has
his roots in greek mythology as the
greek God of love, Eros. Accounts of
his birth vary. Some say he was
the son of Nyx and Arabis, others
of Aphrodite and Ares. Still others
suggest he is the son of Iris
and Sephiroth, or even Aphrodite and Zeus.
According to the greek archaic poets, Eris
was a handsome immortal, played with the
emotions of God and men, using golden
arrows to incite love and leaden ones
to sow aversion. It wasn't until the
hellenistic period that he began to be
portrayed as the mischievous, chubby child
he'd become on Valentine's Day cards.
History's confusing me. Is Valentine good
or bad?
I guess that depends on how your
day goes. Yeah.
So the legend of St Valentine and
the mythological figure of Cupid adds
layers of enchantment to Valentine's Day.
But what's even more fascinating is the
science behind the emotions we associate
with love. Research in psychology and
neuroscience reveals that love is more
than just a feeling. It's a complex
interplay of hormones, neurotransmitters
and brain activity. When we experience
love, areas of our brain associated with
pleasure and reward light up, releasing
hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, often
referred to as the love hormone. Most
biologists point to several different
drives that cause people to experience
love and chemicals that activate these
pathways and deactivate negative emotions.
It's amazing to think that such an
incredible emotion can boil down to a
collection of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen,
hydrogen and sulfur. Love is one of
the most complex human emotions, but its
basis is in these neurochemicals. Dopamine
is one dopamine is released by the
hypothalamus, a structure located deep in
the brain that serves as a link
between the nervous system and the
endocrine system. Dopamine is a feelgood
chemical that is linked to the formation
of relationships. Dopamine is involved in
a variety of pathways, but it is
one of the most widely known love
molecules. Now, an increase in dopamine is
coupled to a decrease in serotonin.
Serotonin is linked to appetite and mood.
Its present is found to be decreased
in people who are in the early
stages of romantic love and those with
obsessive compulsive disorder. Infatuated
people will have a tunnellike focus on
their partner. Oxytocin is also released
by the hypothalamus and is stored in
the pituitary gland. It is linked to
attachment and bonding. The receptors for
oxytocin are located in the brain stem
and are linked to both romantic and
maternal love. Vasopressin is closely
related to oxytocin. Vasopressin is also
produced by the hypothalamus and stored in
the pituitary gland. In males, vasopressin
is linked to social behavior, including
aggression towards other males. This is
the chemical that makes the bachelorette
so entertaining it may make men compete.
Vasopressin is active in learning and
memory in a social context and is
a chemical that strengthens bonding and
attachment. Estrogen is the primary female
sex hormone, so it is obviously implicated
in romance. High levels of estrogen are
important. Low levels can lead to
depression and moodiness, and high levels
of estrogen can block serotonin uptake,
further promoting attraction. Testosterone
is the male sex hormone and is
highly related to increased feelings of
attraction. It stimulates feelings of
love, desire and paternal care in males,
leading to an increased oxytocin.
Norepinephrine also known as
noradrenaline, stimulates the production
of adrenaline. It is produced in closely
packed brain cell neurons, most
importantly, in the locus coriolis and the
brain stem. Upregulating adrenaline makes
our hearts race and our palms sweat.
It impacts large sections of our brain
and gives us the fight or flight
feeling. Norepinephrine increases joy and
can make you lose your appetite.
Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated with
a blend of ancient customs and modern
traditions. From exchanging handwritten
love letters to giving greeting cards
adorned with symbols like hearts and
cupid, the holiday offers countless ways
to express affection. And while flowers,
chocolate, and jewelry remain classic
gifts, it's the emotional connection
behind these gestures that truly matters.
Whether it's a romantic dinner, a
heartfelt gesture, or simply spending
quality time together, Valentine's Day
provides an opportunity to strengthen the
bonds that connect us. As we've explored
the history, mythology, and science behind
Valentine's Day, we're reminded that love
is a powerful force that transcends time
and space. Whether you're celebrating with
a partner, friends, or family, take a
moment to appreciate the beauty of
connection and the science that underpins
our emotions. So, a couple of weeks
ago, I was in Verona, Italy, which
is the setting for probably the world's
most famous and tragic love story, which
is Romeo and Juliet. And we stayed
at this little, tiny boutique hotel, and
it overlooked what. Remember, this is all
fictional, right? What the people of
Verona called Juliet's balcony. And so it
was so cute because people would come
into that little courtyard, and there was
a place where you could leave letters
to Juliet, which is also a movie,
and so you could take a little
love note and leave it there, or
you could pay extra. You didn't pay
anything to go in the courtyard, and
you could actually go up and stand
on what they called Juliet's balcony. So
for us, we actually overlooked it. So
we could take a look at it
anytime we wanted to, where our little
hotel was.
Oh, that's fun to see who's maybe.
Well, yeah, they were up there and
on the little balcony. Oh, Romeo, Romeo,
where far art thou, Romeo? But, you
know, it's funny. Know, that's such an
enduring story because it's really sad.
We have very tragic ending.
Very tragic ending.
Lots of confusion.
I'll say. Well, that's what makes it
an enduring story.
Right?
And that's love.
Okay, well, that is all we have
for this episode of Cultivate Curiosity.
Thank you, guys, for listening. And we'll
be back in two weeks with a
new episode. I don't remember what the
topic is, but I'm sure it'll be
amazing. See you guys then.
Bye! Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for listening to this week's
episode of Cultivate Curiosity.
If you have any questions, feel free
to email us at socialmedia@ecscience.org
tune.
In for our next episode in two
weeks.