Humans blink automatically to flush away the stream of cleansing tears produced by ducts in the corners of our eyes. Adults blink about 15 times per minute, but our rate of blinking slows when we read (which is why our eyes tire after tackling a long book) or focus on a distant object. No matter how hard we try not to blink, the need to flush the eyes eventually trumps our willpower – as anyone who’s lost a staring contest will tell you.
Every time you blink, your eyelids spread a cocktail of oils and mucous secretions across the surface of the eye to keep your globes from drying out. Blinking also keeps eyes safe from potentially damaging stimuli, such as bright lights and foreign bodies like dust.
Scientists have found that the human brain has a talent for ignoring the momentary blackout. The very act of blinking suppresses activity in several areas of the brain responsible for detecting environmental changes, so that you experience the world as continuous.
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