Book 2, Question 59
Why Do We Blink?
Blinking is like a tiny windshield wiper for your eyes. Each blink spreads tears across the surface and sweeps away dust. That keeps your eyes wet, clean, and clear.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- People blink about 15 to 20 times a minute.
- All that blinking means our eyes are closed for about 10 percent of the time we are awake.
- Blinking also helps keep out dust and too much bright light.
- We blink at predictable moments, like at the end of a sentence when reading, or when a speaker pauses.
- When we blink, the brain may get a tiny moment of rest that helps us focus afterward.
- Mudskippers, fish that spend time out of water, learned to blink all on their own.
Sources: National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, BBC
Questions kids ask
How often do we blink?
About 15 to 20 times every minute, usually without noticing.