The Reflex Behind Goosebumps
Written by Studio AM.
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When you feel a sudden chill or a wave of strong emotion, small bumps may rise on your skin. Each bump appears where a tiny muscle at the base of a hair tightens and pulls the hair upright. We call the effect goosebumps, though the muscles do the real work.
In furry animals, this reflex is useful. Raised fur traps a layer of air close to the skin, which helps hold in warmth on a cold day. A frightened animal with its fur standing on end also looks larger and more dangerous to a rival. The same reflex that warms can also serve as a threat.
Humans retained this reflex despite having much less dense body hair than many furry mammals. Raising our hairs provides much less insulation. A feature reduced from an ancestral role is described as vestigial; this does not necessarily mean it has no remaining function. Goosebumps are a small reminder that our bodies still carry machinery built for an older, hairier way of life.
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Question 1 of 4
The passage mainly explains
The answer is C: what causes goosebumps and how their insulating role differs in humans
The passage explains the muscle action, its role in furry animals, and reduced insulation from human body hair.
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Question 2 of 4
What actually makes a goosebump rise?
The answer is B: A tiny muscle tightens and pulls a hair upright
The text says a tiny muscle at the base of a hair 'tightens and pulls the hair upright'.
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Question 3 of 4
Why does raising body hair provide less insulation for humans?
The answer is B: Human body hair forms a much less dense covering than fur.
A less dense covering traps less insulating air than raised thick fur.
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Question 4 of 4
In this passage, a 'vestigial' feature is one that
The answer is D: has a reduced role compared with its ancestral function
Vestigial refers to reduction from an ancestral role, not necessarily the complete loss of every function.
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