Spicy food… Why you burn so much? Actually, according to Rose Eveleth’s TED-Ed video The Science of Spiciness, there’s some serious stuff going on in those peppers and in your body.

The most interesting part, besides the big sciencey words used in the video, is that “spicy” doesn’t have anything to do with actual taste, but rather a much more complex series of events.

Also of note, is that everyone actually experiences the same heat levels in foods. It just comes down to who can take the heat, and who’s a Nancy Van Wimpypants. Wimpypants is a science term.

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