Priscilla Marie S.

Villar February 8, 2024

Reaction Paper ”Human: The World Within"

This week we were assigned to watch a Netflix series related to our subject DANPREV and
upon watching the Netflix series "Human: The World Within," I found myself on an intriguing
journey as I watched each episode go into an in-depth exploration of the human body, its functions,
and its complexities. The series delves into the physiological and psychological aspects of our
existence, which is explained through both scientific insights and personal stories of people.
I believe that the series opened a door for me, allowing me to further understand my own body and
how everyone’s bodies connect between our physical and emotional selves. With this, I would like
to discuss my experience as I watched "Human: The World Within”, and how this virtual
exploration has reshaped my perception of the human body and its experiences.

Starting off, I’d like to focus on each episode and discuss the topics and what my main
takeaways are for each episode. In the first episode, titled REACT, the narrative unfolded with
explanations about the brain. The nervous system was talked about in this episode, and as
mentioned in the title, it explained how humans react. In this discussion there was a Girl who went
through a traumatic experience where she experienced a natural disaster that had put her into a
survival risk. From there, she is shown to be volunteering and participating in training for first aids
where she responds and help other people who are injured. There was also this guy from Puerto
Rico who had lost his arms and used prosthetics, but was still able to react and feel as if his hand
was still there; this phenomenon being called ‘Phantom pain’. This was a way to continuously
expose her to these circumstances in order for her to, not heal but rather, create a defiance to her
past traumas. As per episode displays, the blend of expert interviews, cutting-edge scientific visuals,
and real-life experiences, this series provided as a very educational material in learning the
functions of the body whilst keeping its viewers entertained as if watching different movies each
episode about a different body function.

Second was the episode PULSE. Although the topic for the first part of the episode, where it
was heavily emphasized how oxygen is important to our bodies; that we could survive days and a
week without food and water, but we cannot survive without oxygen for a few minutes. This
episode delved into the cardiovascular system, it explained the valves, the blood cells, and how the
heart functions and connects to the body. What stood out to me the most is how one of the experts
simply mentioned that “The heart is the first function, and the last to stop working” in a human
body. It is probably pretty evident and obvious, but it made me think for a minute. I also found out
that in our blood cells (which are red due to them being made up or iron), hemoglobins are actually
toxic when mixed with our blood, but they are secured in the walls of our blood cells which have 0
errors.

For the third episode, titled FUEL, I learned that food actually plays so many roles in life.
They could be part of culture and religion, but in this discussion, it functions as fuel for our bodies.
Food is the fuel that serves as power in order for us to perform physical activity and we also
consume energy while we are simply sitting down and standing still. The story for this episode was
about this woman who fasted in her lifestyle. She was performing intermittent fasting in her
everyday life, where she eats a meal a day and fasts for the remaining hours of the day. Intermittent
fasting comes in various exercises usually relating with time; eating one meal a day, hour
restrictions, calorie restrictions. The positives of intermittent fasting as mentioned in the episode
was that it was a way to give the digestive system a break and overtime use FAT for energy instead.
On the contrary though, fasting could lead to the person performing it into being ‘hangry’.
Moreover, the episode dives into Ava, who is allergic to numerous foods such as nuts, dairy, eggs,
and so on and so forth. I somewhat relate to her as I am also allergic to seafood where I get rashes
and itchiness in the throat when I consume these foods. It is mentioned that some people have more
allergens than others and that the reactions differ from person to person. My main takeaway for this
episode though is the expert’s input about Gut Health, which is a threeway (1) Remove, (2)
Replace, (3) Repair.

Fourth episode is DEFEND. The episode focuses on the immune system and how it
functions to save us. The immune system is dynamic, meaning that its constantly changing as we
progress with time as humans. It is our defense system against all things foreign. An example that
was given for this topic is the skin, the layer of our body that acts like a brick wall (I also found out
that the oil we produce on our skin is actually anti-bacterial and helps us defens ourselves). It is
mentioned in the video that the skin which is wounded over and over again is more likely to heal
faster as it builds immunity. Throughout this episode though, I felt uneasy as the topic discusses and
mentions a lot of illnesses. The woman’s story of getting ebola was pretty goosebump-inducing, if I
had to say. The mentions of outbreaks that associates way back into the wildlife, (humans and
animals are more closely connected than I though), helped me realize and become more grateful
about how my body functions and how hard it works everyday in order to fight off illnesses and
persevere to live.

The fifth episode SENSE relates to the senses we experience in our bodies. The subtopic in
which I learned the most though was the sense of smelling. The topic of smelling in this episode
intruiged me the most. Where smell is actually nothing but picking up particles and molecules in the
air into our noses which have cilia, and we are able to smell with the help of 400 receptors in which
sometimes we experience phantom smell. I found it really interesting when they discusses as to how
these molecules go through our thalamus and relays what we sense to the brain, however it goes
through a part in the brain which corresponds to emotion. This helped me understand how smells
can make us feel nostalgic and go through feelings. I also found the perfumer Yosh, very inspiring
as she observes smell as an art through texture. But one of the facts that stood out to me the most
was the country of Polynesia. In this place majority of its people do not see color, but instead see
texture. It comes to mind how lacking senses makes us rely and adapt to our other senses.

For the sixth and last episode titled BIRTH, I learned a lot about the reproductive revolution
which unfolds through the diverse stories included. I put in the effort to memorize each of the
personal stories and their names in which the episode follows diverse birthing parents, revealing the
enduring impact of prenatal decisions, especially on fetal development. Behavioral and
Environmental considerations and the story of Jenny shed light on rising infertility rates. The
episode also discussed the biological complexities of vaginal birth, emphasizing its influence on
newborns' immune systems. Concluding with Mac, a transgender man's unique journey to
parenthood, the episode highlights the universal nature of being born, offering a uplifting look into
21st-century birth experiences.
 To sum it all up in relation to being a dancer and for the subject of DANPREV, ‘Human: The
World Within’ has not only expanded my knowledge of the intricate workings of the human body
but has also expanded my knowledge and perspectives as a dancer. Understanding the physiological
and psychological aspects studied in each episode resulted me to appreciate the resilience,
adaptability, and interconnectedness of our bodies.

As a dancer, the new things I learned allows me to have a deeper understanding of how
movements, reactions, and even emotional states are tied to the mechanisms within myself. Each
episode, from the exploration of the nervous system in "React" to the cardiovascular system in
"Pulse," and the significance of nutrition in "Fuel," has added layers to my comprehension of how
the body functions in the context of dance. The discussion on the immune system in "Defend"
resonates with the physical demands we dancers face, emphasizing the body's dynamic defense
against the strains of training and performance. The sensory insights in "Sense" contribute to a
heightened awareness of how movements and choreography can engage various senses, making
performances more immersive and impactful. And lastly, the exploration of birth in the final
episode, "Birth," brings a unique perspective to the physicality and emotive aspects of dance,
considering the journey from conception to life's first movements.

As a dancer, this show has not only helped me become more intellectuality aware of my
body but has also sparked a deeper connection to the physical vessel through which dance unfolds.
It underscores the importance of respecting and caring for the body as a dancer, recognizing its
functions, vulnerabilities and complexities. Overall, the Netflix series ”Human: The World Within"
left a lasting impression on me. Regardless of the many pauses, breaks, and fast forwards I had to
take in order to finish this show, the series beautifully combined science and storytelling and offered
me a comprehensive exploration of the human experience. I believe that through a dancer’s
perspective and though the lenses of the subject of DANPREV, it inspires a holistic approach to the
artistry of dance, intertwining science with the beauty of movement.