Science Vs Live: Chimeras, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome & Lemmings

Investigating Biological and Perceptual Mysteries

This live episode of Science Vs explores three captivating topics where appearances can be deceiving. The show challenges common misconceptions using scientific inquiry and expert analysis.

The Curious Case of the Chimera

The episode begins with a bizarre forensic mystery involving an elderly man found with a physical injury that suggested animal mutilation.

• Initial investigations pointed to his pet dog eating the missing tissue.
• Genetic testing surprised researchers when the DNA did not match the victim.
• The man was identified as a chimera, an individual possessing two sets of DNA, likely caused by the absorption of a fraternal twin in the womb.

"There was a true mixing of cells from basically two different people."

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

Moving to the psychological, the team discusses a condition where individuals perceive their body parts or surroundings as distorted—either unnaturally large (macropsia) or small (micropsia).

• Often experienced by children during fevers, the syndrome is temporary and generally harmless.
• The condition highlights how brain blood flow and occipital lobe activity can trick perception.
• The host reveals a personal history with the syndrome, which was finally understood decades later.

Debunking the Lemming Myth

Finally, the team addresses the persistent legend that lemmings commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs.

• The myth was solidified by a staged Disney documentary, White Wilderness (1958), where filmmakers forced lemmings off cliffs to capture the footage.
• In reality, lemmings do not have a suicidal "group mentality."
• Population explosions and collapses are driven by environmental factors, food abundance, and climate change affecting their Arctic tundra habitat.