June 24, 2026 · 5:06 AM
Why do onions make you cry?
A playful 60-second explainer tracing onion tears from sliced cells to airborne sulfur chemistry, then revealing the plant-defense twist behind the sting.
A 60-second daily vertical animation answering one curious "why" question.
A 60-second animated explanation of the onion's tiny chemical alarm system: cutting breaks open cells, enzymes assemble an airborne irritant, and your eyes respond by flushing it away with tears.
Sources
- Library of Congress, "Why does chopping an onion make you cry?"
- Silvaroli et al., ACS Chemical Biology via PubMed Central, "Enzyme That Makes You Cry—Crystal Structure of Lachrymatory Factor Synthase from Allium cepa"
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