Fingernails on a blackboard, overheard cellphone conversations, a fly buzzing around our heads - these are only some of the many universal annoyances in the world, and in
Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us, Joe Palca looks at the state of research into what seems like a relatively minor emotion, unless, of course,
you're the one who is experiencing the annoyance. Surprisingly, there are several different scientists studying annoyance - what causes it and in whom, what happens to the brain when we are annoyed, and whether annoyance of whatever kind has any evolutionary benefit. This book relates several fascinating discoveries and theories, but unfortunately doesn't offer many solutions to dealing with the annoyances in our lives.
