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Mystery #2Tier 1allergies and the nose

Why does a tiny grain of pollen set off sneezing and itchy, streaming eyes?

A single grain of pollen is far too small to see. It drifts off a flower, floats along on the breeze, and lands in your nose. Next thing you know you are sneezing your head off and your eyes are red, itchy and streaming. How can something that tiny cause such an enormous fuss?

Pollen grains under an electron microscope, colourised yellow, green and pink, some spiky like sea urchins and some smooth as beans
Photo: Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility, Dartmouth College · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

Your guess

Why do you think a speck of pollen makes you sneeze and your eyes water?

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