The Face Hole Series
Strange and Wonderful Truths about Tears
Humans are the only species who make emotional tears
A tearful goodbye. The tears of a clown. Breaking down in tears. The drops of liquid that fall from our eyes are ripe for metaphor, evoking emotion as much as they express it. Perhaps that’s what differentiates them from what comes out of our other face holes. They don’t merely exist for biological function. They also mean something. Whether it’s sadness or joy, tears are a physical representation of our humanity. They show our vulnerability as well as our strength. And while their function is as clear as their composition, there are a lot of things about tears that will surprise you.
Unlike what comes out of our ears and noses, there is no fancy term for tears. The Latin term for tear is lacrimālis, what your tearing system is called. Tears are made in the lacrimal gland, which is located under your eyebrow in the upper, outer area above your eye. Your lacrimal gland releases tears across your eyeball, which then collect in the inside of your eye, near your nose. From there, they move into your lacrimal sac and drain into your nose down a tube called the nasolacrimal duct. (This is why your nose runs when you cry.) When the system is flooded (from crying) or if that tube gets blocked (from swelling in…
