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Gather round please children. This class is all about the human sense of touch. Now humans may be slow - moving ogres compared to us flies, but they can lash out, so stay alert.

Humans feel touch through their skin, which is the largest organ of the body. It may not look like much on the surface, but it has millions of tiny sense receptors underneath.

There are all sorts of sense receptors down there with different jobs to do.

Some can detect the lightest of touches, others, deep pressure. Some feel the cold, others feel the heat and others feel pain.

Ouch!

If we all flap our wings next to this arm, we might create enough of a breeze to stimulate its cold receptors.

If this happens, these receptors will send messages through the nervous system.

The body responds by making the little hairs on the surface of the skin stand up, trapping a layer of warm air next to the body, helping to keep it warm.

This is a reflex, which means it’s something that happens without the person thinking about it, even if they are fast asleep like this guy.

Not all parts of the body are equally sensitive, of course.

The skin down here at the upper calf still has plenty of sense receptors, but not many that detect light touch.

Ok that’s enough!

Down here at the toes, it’s a different story.

Feet and toes have lots of sense receptors in them that can detect the lightest of pressures. This helps humans feel what kind of ground they’re walking on, so they are very tickly and sensitive.

I’d be careful with that…

LAUGHING

I did warn you!