WEBVTT - How Boogers and Mucuous Membranes Work

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff from how stuffworks dot com where

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<v Speaker 1>smart happens. Hi, I'm Marshall Brain with today's question, what

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<v Speaker 1>makes boogers sticky? Boogers are made out of mucus. Mucus

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<v Speaker 1>is made by mucus membranes. Your body has mucus membranes

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<v Speaker 1>in all sorts of places. The stomach, intestines, nose, lungs, eyes, mouth,

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<v Speaker 1>and the urinary tract all contain mucous membranes that secrete mucus.

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<v Speaker 1>Mucus contains mostly water and mucin. It is the mucin

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<v Speaker 1>that makes boogers sticky. Musin is called a branched poly

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<v Speaker 1>sack ride. A polysac ride is just a fancy name

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<v Speaker 1>for a sugar chain. Starch, for example, is a polysac ride.

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<v Speaker 1>As you've probably noticed, if you mix corn starch or

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<v Speaker 1>flour with water, you get a sticky substance. Musin is

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<v Speaker 1>doing the same thing. Mucus is essentially a thin pace

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<v Speaker 1>made out of musin. You can play around with corn

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<v Speaker 1>starch and water and get something very much like a booger,

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<v Speaker 1>especially as it dries out. You are looking at synthetic boogers.

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<v Speaker 1>In that case, do you have any ideas or suggestions

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<v Speaker 1>for this podcast. If so, please send me an email

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<v Speaker 1>at podcast at how stuff works dot com. For more

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