EVER WONDER?
What are goosebumps? 🪿
Every hair is surrounded by tiny muscles. Goosebumps happen when these tiny muscles contract, which make your hair stand up!
Goosebumps are automatic. They’re controlled by the same part of your brain that controls your heartbeat and breathing.
Why do we get them? 🧥
Defense. Making our hairs stand up makes us look bigger. (This works more for cats than humans.)
Warmth. When we’re cold, our hairs stand up to create a thin layer of insulating air around our body.
Strong emotions. Goosebumps can be triggered by strong emotions (like awe, fear, or nostalgia) as part of our “fight-or-flight” response.
Who else gets them? 🐻
Most mammals do (cats, dogs, monkeys, bears, etc.). Birds, reptiles, and fish don’t because they don’t have hair!