Why do some people feel sick if they read in a moving vehicle?
Motion sickness in general is caused when your inner ear and your eyes disagree about whether you’re moving. When you read in a car, your visual field stays still but your inner ear detects the twists and turns.
Asked by: Matthew Caruana, Malta
Motion sickness in general is caused when your inner ear and your eyes disagree about whether you’re moving. When you read in a car, your visual field stays still but your inner ear detects the twists and turns. This sensory conflict triggers nausea, possibly because the brain thinks you’ve eaten something toxic that’s making you hallucinate. About a third of us are more prone to motion sickness, with children aged 2-12, the elderly, migraine sufferers and pregnant women among the high risk groups.
Read more:
- What happens in my body when I’m seasick?
- I just bought a lovely new car, so why is the smell of it making me feel sick?
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Authors
Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
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