* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

    TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

    Cardi B Adds More Dates to Little Miss Drama Tour: ‘Y’all Making Me Work’ – Yahoo

    Cardi B Extends Little Miss Drama Tour: “Y’all Making Me Work

    ‘Today’: Sheinelle Jones Thanks Katie Couric for Support After Husband’s Death – CBS 19 News

    Sheinelle Jones Expresses Heartfelt Thanks to Katie Couric for Support After Husband’s Passing

    Sate your hunger at DBA’s Taste of Downtown – Bakersfield.com

    Indulge Your Cravings at DBA’s Taste of Downtown!

    Caesars Entertainment (CZR): Assessing Valuation After Times Square Casino Setback and Mounting Investor Concerns – simplywall.st

    Caesars Entertainment Faces Times Square Casino Hurdles as Investor Concerns Mount

    Why Hilaria Baldwin Has Found the ‘DWTS’ Process ‘Embarrassing’ At Times – WFXG

    Hilaria Baldwin Opens Up About the Embarrassing Moments on Her ‘DWTS’ Journey

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    How Sustainable Technology is Shaping a Greener Future – Technology Magazine

    How Sustainable Technology is Driving the Revolution Toward a Greener Future

    Aurora police hope to add facial recognition technology to crime-fighting tools – CBS News

    Aurora Police Aim to Boost Crime-Fighting with New Facial Recognition Technology

    Autonomous Solutions shows off cutting-edge technology for the public – Cache Valley Daily

    Autonomous Solutions Unveils Cutting-Edge Technology for the Public

    Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion in Prime Membership Settlement – The New York Times

    Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion in Prime Membership Settlement – The New York Times

    What are we really gaining from technology? – Fast Company

    What Are We Really Gaining from Technology?

    TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. Expands SteraMist iHP Technology Services in Healthcare Sector with New Provider Partnership – Quiver Quantitative

    TOMI Environmental Solutions Accelerates SteraMist iHP Technology Expansion in Healthcare with New Provider Partnership

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

    TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

    Cardi B Adds More Dates to Little Miss Drama Tour: ‘Y’all Making Me Work’ – Yahoo

    Cardi B Extends Little Miss Drama Tour: “Y’all Making Me Work

    ‘Today’: Sheinelle Jones Thanks Katie Couric for Support After Husband’s Death – CBS 19 News

    Sheinelle Jones Expresses Heartfelt Thanks to Katie Couric for Support After Husband’s Passing

    Sate your hunger at DBA’s Taste of Downtown – Bakersfield.com

    Indulge Your Cravings at DBA’s Taste of Downtown!

    Caesars Entertainment (CZR): Assessing Valuation After Times Square Casino Setback and Mounting Investor Concerns – simplywall.st

    Caesars Entertainment Faces Times Square Casino Hurdles as Investor Concerns Mount

    Why Hilaria Baldwin Has Found the ‘DWTS’ Process ‘Embarrassing’ At Times – WFXG

    Hilaria Baldwin Opens Up About the Embarrassing Moments on Her ‘DWTS’ Journey

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    How Sustainable Technology is Shaping a Greener Future – Technology Magazine

    How Sustainable Technology is Driving the Revolution Toward a Greener Future

    Aurora police hope to add facial recognition technology to crime-fighting tools – CBS News

    Aurora Police Aim to Boost Crime-Fighting with New Facial Recognition Technology

    Autonomous Solutions shows off cutting-edge technology for the public – Cache Valley Daily

    Autonomous Solutions Unveils Cutting-Edge Technology for the Public

    Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion in Prime Membership Settlement – The New York Times

    Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion in Prime Membership Settlement – The New York Times

    What are we really gaining from technology? – Fast Company

    What Are We Really Gaining from Technology?

    TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. Expands SteraMist iHP Technology Services in Healthcare Sector with New Provider Partnership – Quiver Quantitative

    TOMI Environmental Solutions Accelerates SteraMist iHP Technology Expansion in Healthcare with New Provider Partnership

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

6 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Snot

November 30, 2023
in Science
6 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Snot
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Snot is slimy, and for most, it’s gross and not pleasant. But, for all the reactions that slime can provoke — disgust, pleasure, or fascination — we depend on our slimy secretions. We have snot for a reason, and that slime can protect us from cells and surfaces. For some, watching slime can even provoke feelings of relaxation.

Here are five things about snot that you probably didn’t know.

1. What Is Snot?

Snot, commonly referred to as mucus, is a substance found in the nose and sinuses. It plays a crucial role in the respiratory system by trapping dust, germs, and other particles, preventing them from entering your lungs. Snot also helps to moisturize the nasal passages and protect the sensitive respiratory tract from irritation and infection.

Read More: Digging Into Nose Picking and Why We Are Guilty of It

2. Where Does Snot Come From?

The mucous membranes lining the nose, sinuses, and throat produce snot. It is slimy because it contains a special type of protein — mucins. Mucins impart some useful functions. Not only have mammals retained mucins from evolutionary predecessors but also, our new mucins are always evolving — in a phenomenon called convergent evolution.

If a regular protein gene is altered with sections of chains of sugar–protein molecules, called repeats, new functions are acquired. Repeats with a lot of proline, threonine, and serine transform a typical protein to a mucin because of the polypeptide structure that is formed. Sugars can easily attach to and branch off of these sites through glycosylation.

Read More: 4 Crazy Facts to Know About Your Nose

3. What Is Snot Made of?

Snot is primarily made up of water, mucins, antibodies, enzymes, and salts. What we call “slimy” is the paradoxical property of viscoelasticity. Secretions with mucins — like snot (mucus) or spit (saliva) — are known for their oozing, slippery, and sticky feel. In technical terms, this is called viscoelasticity. Mucus and saliva can act as lubricants to facilitate movement and act as difficult-to-penetrate barriers to protect cells and surfaces.

Viscoelastic materials have an inherently dual nature — they behave like liquid and solids— and how they flow or resist flow depends on temperature, the rate of strain and time. For example, a viscoelastic material can flow like a fluid, stretch like an elastic into a thin strand, and at some point break as if it were a solid.

Thanks to the structure of mucins, with sections of protruding sugar branches, mucus adheres well to a lot of surfaces because different parts of the molecule chains have the ability to bind with electrically charged, neutral or even hydrophobic materials.

Read More: The Purpose of Mucus, the Body’s Unsung Hero

4. How Do We Feel About Snot?

In a study that investigated which emotions were associated with 21 different textures, researchers found that slime could provoke fear and disgust, but also, happiness and surprise.

Touch is an important way for humans to process the physical world. And the processing of physical sensations, whether felt on the skin, in the mouth or emotional perceptions, can get intertwined.

The feel of slime even elicits autonomic psychophysiological effects (which are subconscious changes in the body related to the person’s emotional state). In another study, slimes with similar characteristics to those of body fluids and foods altered sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity.

Foods like oysters and escargot — animals known for their mucus secretions — or okras and seaweed — plants that produce soluble starches (which are essentially chains of sugar molecules) are disliked or enjoyed around the world because of their gooey texture.

Read More: Plants Sense Snail Slime to Avoid Becoming Supper

5. Is Slime ASMR Real?

In certain people, the feel of a slimy substance evokes strong physiological changes, which is called an autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). Slime is often featured in ASMR videos — videos that are designed to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation. Anecdotally, those who have watched videos of slimy substances and felt the sensations describe them as oddly satisfying or oddly relaxing.

ASMR may also be similar to synesthesia — a condition where you can experience a sense through another, like color and sound, at the same time. But in the case of ASMR, we may be unable to keep the connections of sensory information received by the brain from an emotional response produced by the brain.

Read More: Relaxing ASMR Sounds are Harder to Re-Create Than You’d Think

6. What Is Our Emotional Connection to Slime?

For some situations, it’s not the emotional response that’s important, it’s the emotional connection that it represents. When infants observe who is willing to exchange slimy secretions with one another, they can understand who is part of their inner circle, according to a recent study.

Researchers watched infants in this study to see how they reacted — where they looked and for how long — to simulated scenarios. They found that when young children observe behaviors like kissing or sharing utensils between people, they recognize that it defines a close or intimate relationship.

Read More: What Is Slime Mold?

Young children also seemed to grasp the intricacies of social relationships — that a close relationship defined different obligations or expectations than friendship did. Children also seemed to understand that for a close relationship — like between siblings — one would respond to the other in distress but wouldn’t expect toy sharing to occur between them.

You probably wouldn’t expect snot to define these social boundaries, but as we’ve learned, it’s a slime with many qualities and functions.

FAQ: What Does the Color of Your Snot Mean?

Snot serves as a crucial defense mechanism in the nose, capturing particles and organisms to prevent them from reaching the lungs. While the color of snot is not typically used by doctors for primary diagnosis, it can provide insights into the health of your nasal passages and overall health, according to Raj Sindwani, a medical specialist, in an interview for the Cleveland Clinic.

What Does Clear Snot Mean? 

Clear snot is normal and healthy. It’s what your body produces on a regular basis to moisten the nasal passages and trap dust or other particles before they can enter your lungs. Clear mucus is a sign that your immune system is working as it should, and there are no significant issues. However, an increase in clear snot production could indicate an allergic reaction or the onset of a cold.

What Does Yellow Snot Mean? 

Yellow snot is usually a sign that your body is fighting off an infection, typically a cold or sinus infection. The yellow color comes from white blood cells that have rushed to the site to combat the infection. As these cells get used up, they can turn the mucus a yellowish hue. While it’s a common symptom, if yellow snot is accompanied by severe pain or fever, it might be a good idea to consult a healthcare professional.

What Does Green Snot Mean? 

Green snot often indicates a more severe infection than yellow snot. The green color results from an enzyme called myeloperoxidase, which is found in certain white blood cells that fight off bacteria or viruses. Green snot can be a sign of a bacterial infection, a lingering cold, or a sinus infection. While not always a cause for alarm, persistent green snot, especially with other symptoms like pain or fever, may warrant medical attention.

Why Is My Snot Bloody? 

Bloody snot can be alarming, but it often isn’t a serious issue. It can be caused by dry nasal passages, which are more prone to bleeding, especially in low-humidity environments or during winter. Nose picking or nasal irritation, such as from blowing your nose too hard, can also cause blood to mix with snot. However, if bloody snot is frequent or accompanied by other symptoms, it’s advisable to seek medical advice as it could be a sign of a more serious condition.

Read More: Coughs of Many Colors: When Should You Be Worried About Phlegm?

This article was originally published on Oct. 18, 2022 and has since been updated by the Discover staff.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Discover Magazine – https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/5-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-snot

Tags: probablyscienceThings
Previous Post

Israel, Hamas reach deal to extend Gaza cease-fire for another day

Next Post

The Mysterious Explosions of Fulminating Gold

Real-World Data Support Dual Benefit of Biologic Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa – The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®)

Real-World Data Support Dual Benefit of Biologic Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa – The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®)

September 28, 2025
Recession seems far off — that’s the good news. Yet the economy is also far from trouble-free. – MarketWatch

Recession seems far off — that’s the good news. Yet the economy is also far from trouble-free. – MarketWatch

September 28, 2025
TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

TicketSmarter Fall Entertainment Guide – Eastern Illinois University Athletics

September 28, 2025
Is Clover Health (CLOV) Using AI to Shift Its Healthcare Competitive Position? – simplywall.st

Is Clover Health (CLOV) Revolutionizing Healthcare with Cutting-Edge AI?

September 28, 2025
Iowa Matters Less Than Ever for Democrats, but They Can’t Quit It – The New York Times

Iowa Matters Less Than Ever for Democrats, but They Can’t Quit It – The New York Times

September 28, 2025
Little Spokane River Spill – Washington State Department of Ecology (.gov)

Little Spokane River Spill – Washington State Department of Ecology (.gov)

September 27, 2025
St. Pete City Council voices support to save shuttered Science Center – FOX 13 Tampa Bay

St. Pete City Council voices support to save shuttered Science Center – FOX 13 Tampa Bay

September 27, 2025
LDWF Announces Temporary Closure of the Nature & Science Center at Port Wonder – Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (.gov)

Temporary Closure of the Nature & Science Center at Port Wonder Announced

September 27, 2025
The One Ingredient That Gives Chickpeas That Perfect Crunch – Yahoo

The Secret Ingredient That Makes Chickpeas Irresistibly Crunchy

September 27, 2025
How Sustainable Technology is Shaping a Greener Future – Technology Magazine

How Sustainable Technology is Driving the Revolution Toward a Greener Future

September 27, 2025

Categories

Archives

September 2025
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« Aug    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (840)
  • Economy (861)
  • Entertainment (21,735)
  • General (17,281)
  • Health (9,904)
  • Lifestyle (873)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (862)
  • Politics (871)
  • Science (16,070)
  • Sports (21,360)
  • Technology (15,843)
  • World (843)

Recent News

Real-World Data Support Dual Benefit of Biologic Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa – The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®)

Real-World Data Support Dual Benefit of Biologic Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa – The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®)

September 28, 2025
Recession seems far off — that’s the good news. Yet the economy is also far from trouble-free. – MarketWatch

Recession seems far off — that’s the good news. Yet the economy is also far from trouble-free. – MarketWatch

September 28, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version