Science Common Sense

948 - What causes our reflexes, like blinking or sneezing?

Reflexes like blinking or sneezing are automatic movements that happen without you thinking about them. They're controlled by your nervous system, which is like a fast-acting 'brain' for your body.

Here's what happens:

1. A message is sent to your brain from a sensor (like your eyes or nose).
2. The message goes to a special 'short cut' route called a reflex arc.
3. This route doesn't need to wait for your main brain to think about it – it just acts quickly.
4. A signal is sent back to your muscles, making you blink or sneeze to protect yourself.

For example, when something gets too close to your eye, a sensor sends a message to your brain, saying 'danger!' The reflex arc says, 'protect the eye!' and sends a signal back to your eye muscles to blink and protect it.