CRAIG BENZINE: So, here we are, Six Flags Great America, doing some thrill-seeking.

This ride is kind of scary, but mostly due to my fear of fiberglass horses.

Maybe we can find something a little more thrilling.

Can someone help me down?

I've ridden roller coasters all my life, and they've kind of lost their thrill for me.

But the fine folks at Six Flags Great America have invited me to try out their newest, largest, fastest, and steepest roller coasters in a valiant attempt to rekindle my love for these awesome thrill rides.

But what is it about roller coasters?

Why do we like them so much?

There are a couple different reasons.

CRAIG BENZINE (VOICEOVER): This is David Zald, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University and expert on fear.

But he's not a scary guy himself.

He's actually quite nice.

One of them is actually the perceptual experience itself, that sensation of going fast.

There's something very exhilarating about it.

Some of it's the mastery experience.

I can do this.

I can face this fear.

And I can do this in a way that I believe is nevertheless safe enough to accomplish this.

When else do I get to go falling at this sort of speed, hurtling towards the Earth, going upside down through the air?

That's not something I can typically do without getting really injured.

But here's a place I can do it.

I can see other people survive it.

I can do it.

I can then say, I did that.

I can have that rush of exhilaration, both from the perceptual experience of things flying by me really quickly and being able to come off that and be like, yes, I did it.

I mastered that.

Bring on the next thing.

CRAIG BENZINE (VOICEOVER): The origins of the modern-day roller coaster can be traced all the way back to 17th century Russia.

Back then, large, ice-covered ramps were constructed for people to slide down with either wooden sleds or blocks of ice.

Some of these ice slides could reach heights of 70 to 80 feet.

Despite the inherent danger, the Russian ice slides enjoyed a widespread popularity.

To this day, the term for "roller coaster" in several different languages actually translates to "Russian mountains."

At some point, someone hit upon the idea of getting rid of the ice entirely and adding a track to the ramp and wheels to the sled.

Some sources say the renowned Russian monarch Catherine the Great had the first roller coaster constructed in St. Petersburg during her reign.

However, others say the first roller coaster was the Russian Mountains of Belleville, constructed in Paris in 1817.

Ever since then, roller coaster designers have been creating larger, faster, and more innovative roller coasters.

And to this day, roller coasters remain one of the most popular attractions at the world's amusement parks.

CRAIG BENZINE: How many roller coasters have you ridden?

I've ridden 408.

408 different roller coasters?

Different roller coasters throughout this country.

I have yet to go overseas.

Goliath was my 400th.

CRAIG BENZINE (VOICEOVER): This is Jeff Peters, regional representative for American Coaster Enthusiasts, a group of more than 5000 members who share a lifelong passion for roller coasters.

If he can't stoke the lifeless cockles of my roller coaster heart, no one can.

So what's so darn special about the Goliath?

The Goliath broke three world records when it was built.

It is the tallest, steepest, fastest wooden coaster in the country and in the world, I guess.

CRAIG BENZINE (VOICEOVER): It has a 180 foot, 85 degree drop with a top speed of 72 miles an hour.

I've rode roller coasters, like, my whole life.

I'm a little jaded.

Is this going to impress me?

Yes.

It is definitely-- it's not your old standard ride.

If you look at the older wooden coasters, they had a different style, the way they were braced and the way that they were built.

This is kind of the cutting edge.

This is the new way of building things.

And it's very impressive.

So let's ride the roller coaster.

OK, cool.

That sounds good.

ANNOUNCER: Prepare for Goliath.

First, store all loose items.

Shoes must be worn on the ride.

Take your seat, and fasten the belt tightly around your waist.

SPEAKER 1: You ready, Craig?

I'm ready.

SPEAKER 1: Excited?

Yes.

This is going to be awesome.

ANNOUNCER: Get ready to battle Goliath.

First drop looks very intense.

I'm glad I didn't have any breakfast today.

The anticipation-- OK.

Here we go.

JEFF PETERS: We're going to be going straight down.

[screams] DR. DAVID ZALD: So there does seem to be-- and it's sort of ironic, because you would think most people would want to avoid things that cause fear.

One of the reasons that people seek this out is that it takes us out of our normal, day to day existence.

People feel totally there in the moment.

You're not thinking about other things.

When you're going down that roller coaster or even up that roller coaster, you're not sitting there thinking, oh, I need to do laundry tomorrow.

But that's actually a really strong draw, that sense of being totally in the moment, in the flow.

There's nothing else you're attending to.

And if it takes being afraid to get to that sort of situation, then that's enough.

JEFF PETERS: I guess it's like the adrenaline rush.

It's the feeling that you're kind of like on the edge, but you're always going to come back.

You look at some of the rides and think, OK, well, I don't know if I'm really going to be OK on this.

But you're always going to come back.

It's just that kind of the fine line there, just riding the edge.

That's a good way to wake up in the morning.

Yeah, I want to go on that again.

Who needs coffee?

Exactly.

So do you like roller coasters?

What's your favorite thrill ride?

Let us know in the comments.

What's your favorite thrill ride, Matt?

I like the swing set, the kind that's open, open-ended swing set.

Not the kind that belts you in.

Not so thrilling.

Last week, we asked you if you liked being afraid or if you're a thrill seeker.

And you said things at us.

And we're going to respond to them, the things you said.

Samramdebest and a number of you pointed out that you don't like horror movies.

And, you know, I don't really like horror movies either, not because I'm afraid-- just because they're usually pretty stupid.

But some of you don't watch them because you're afraid, and that's one of the interesting aspects of fear.

Some fears are universal-- fear of heights to some degree, fear of loud noises.

But there are a lot of fears that are learned over time and different for each individual.

For example, I really like roller coasters, but it turns out some people don't.

And we're going to be actually talking a little bit about that in the next video.

So stick around and watch it and stuff.

Nic [inaudible] said that being afraid of flying isn't the same feeling as being afraid of a scary movie, and there should really be separate words for these fears.

This is a good point, although I think we actually do have different words for these fears.

Fear of flying is more like a phobia, while being afraid of a scary movie is more of a thrill.

Both experiences generate similar amygdala and physical responses.

That's why they fall into the category of fear.

However, with phobias, the end result is usually a negative experience, while thrills can be fun.

I think the difference with thrills is that there's an added level of safety or control.

So if you're watching a scary movie, part of your brain knows it's just a movie.

And if you're a rock climber, confidence in your knowledge and your skills makes you feel like you're in control of the situation.

In the case of a phobia like a fear of flying, you don't have that sense of control or safety.

So you're just left with the unpleasant elements of fear.

Not CJ commented that he's a big fan of free climbing.

And the height and the precariousness of the situation is thrilling and it makes him feel alive.

Though he also pointed out that he finds it odd that some of us live in a world where we seek out dangerous situations in order to feel alive.

This is an interesting point, and I would wager that people who have constant actual danger in their lives might not want to seek out extra danger.

Being able to enjoy activities like horror films or rock climbing or a friendly game of tractor chicken, like in "Footloose," are a privilege that not everyone can get.

Finley Atkinson and [inaudible] 22 noticed that there are two "Where the Wild Things Are" books in David Zald's office.

We asked him what was going on there.

Yes, there's actually two different books.

It turns out he collects them in many different languages.

He currently owns copies in English, Hebrew, Welsh, Italian, French, Spanish, and Korean.

I guess he really likes "Donde Viven Los Monstruos."

Chris O'Donnell, acclaimed actor and transformer, writes, "If you ever want to learn science from two adorable garden gnomes on YouTube, The Good Stuff is for you.

Aw, shucks, Chris.

Thank you.

We've been cultivating this look for a while now.

I think we're doing a good job.

Mmm-hmm.

Next week, we're going to help Sam overcome his fear of heights.

And we're also-- maybe we'll try to get him to look like a gnome too.

I think that is the cure, right-- the solution?

Yeah.

Gnomes are fearless, bold, beautiful.

Small.

Gnomes.