Do you ever wonder why you get goosebumps or your nipples harden when it is cold out? Here’s what human bodies do in cold temperatures, and why.
Goosebumps: Explained
Got goosebumps? You’re probably cold. This brief article explains the pilomotor reflex, or piloerection, which is what’s behind goosebumps and several other physiological reactions to the cold.
A Tit Bit Nipply: Why Nipples Harden in the Cold
In cold weather, men and women can both get hard nipples that press out to announce themselves. Ladies, you know it can be embarrassing if this happens when you’re wearing a swimsuit without padding or if you’re wearing a tight shirt without a bra. Men can get nipply, too, so read on to understand what’s underneath this human response to the cold.
What Causes Cold-Weather Scrotum Shrinkage in Men
Yikes! You walked outside into the cold, and your man parts just shrank. Here’s why: The male scrotum will shrink in the cold and become longer in hot seasons. Read here to understand how these physiological responses help maintain optimal body temperature for sperm production.
Testicle Disappearance Alert
Testicle disappearance is technically called a “retractile testicle.” Sometimes one or both of a male’s testicles will retract from the scrotum and into the groin area, for a variety of reasons. Cold weather is one of the things that prompts this reaction, so read on to discover why it happens and what it means.
Why Men Feel Frisky in the Winter Months
There’s some debate about whether or not men and women feel friskier in the winter months, and whether or not gender differences exist here. Some people think that cold weather freezes up the sexual feelings, but this article looks at several reasons why colder temperatures heat up male sexuality, especially, in the winter months.
Women Really Do Get Colder Than Men
Many studies have shown that women do get colder than men, and this article from Slate.com looks at the reasons why. This article explains how the female response to the cold relates to a woman’s ability to bear children and says that “shivering all the time is simply part of the package deal you get when your body has a uterus to take care of.”
“Miraculous” Survival in Cases of Extreme Hypothermia
Several strange extreme-cold survival cases exist in which people have been frozen or nearly frozen, only to be brought back to life when warmed up. This article tells the story of one famous example of a skier who survived after being submerged in ice for 80 minutes. Even though her body temperature had plummeted to 56-degrees Fahrenheit, she survived. This article explores the reasons why.
The End: Paradoxical Undressing and Terminal Burrowing
Weird things happen when the cold ends human life, too. When humans are in the advanced–think: near death–phases of hypothermia, they’ll often take off their clothes and even hide in strange places. This article looks at why people may do these things in the final phases of hypothermia and how they’re perhaps an evolutionary response to combatting the extreme cold.
Traci J. Macnamara is a Writer. Editor. Literary Adventurer. | t: @tracimacnamara | www.tracimacnamara.com
