A TPL Kids website visitor has posed a wonder that almost left us shedding some tears. Luckily, we weren’t slicing onions when we looked to find out, why does chopping an onion make you cry?
A New York Times article mentioned that onions release a chemical called lachrymatory factor that irritates our eyes. When the onion’s cells break open two separated substances combine and turns into a gas hitting the sensory nerves in your eyes, causing them to tear up.
So don’t cry for the library staff who answered the wonder, it wasn’t as bad as slicing an onion.