• Question: Why do we feel the cold

    Asked by to Anna, Jane, Iain, Nick on 19 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Anna Middleton

      Anna Middleton answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      Hi unicornlozz123
      We feel the cold because we have receptors on our skin that tell our brains what is going on in our environment. These receptors are created and controlled by our genes. Genes vary between people which is why different people have different responses to stimuli – some people really feel the cold and others don’t so much – its all in your genes!

    • Photo: Nick Goldman

      Nick Goldman answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      To add a little to Anna’s answer: the reason we have evolved the ability to feel cold is that this was useful to us: so that we could move away from places that were too cold to survive in. Evolution favours changes that make us better at surviving, and I’m sure this is one.

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