Uploaded February 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
10 Eye-Opening Facts about Tears
Do you know the chemical composition of tears, or the different types? Get all the interesting facts about tears you never knew you wanted with our fun facts.
1. On average, a person’s eyes make 15 to 30 gallons of tears a year.
2. Human eyes produce three different kinds of tears: basal tears, which care for the cornea; reflex tears, which guard against irritants; and emotional tears.
3. Although many animals shed tears, emotional tears—tears produced as the result of feeling—seem to be a uniquely human phenomenon.
4. Although different studies report differing numbers, they all agree that women cry at least twice as much—and probably more—than men.
5. Chopping onions causes tears because it releases syn-Propanethial S-oxide, an irritant that affects the lacrimal gland.
6. The scent of a woman's tears can reduce sexual arousal in men.
7. Women who live in Western societies, where they have equality and greater freedom, cry far more often than women whose lives are regulated by traditional cultural norms.
8. There is evidence that tears contain stress hormones, such that crying makes a person feel better by purging some of the negative stress.
9. People who suffer from certain forms of clinical depression no longer experience the urge to cry, due to a deep-seated belief that nothing can alleviate their suffering.
10. Crocodiles sometimes shed tears while feasting on their prey, giving rise to the phrase "crocodile tears" or fake tears. No one knows why they cry while eating.
For more interesting facts about tears, check out our article here: factretriever.com/tears-facts
Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more amazing facts about the world and beyond: youtube.com/channel/UCZxmYOAglFN29DPr7mEaDLQ
10 Eye-Opening Facts about Tears
Do you know the chemical composition of tears, or the different types? Get all the interesting facts about tears you never knew you wanted with our fun facts.
1. On average, a person’s eyes make 15 to 30 gallons of tears a year.
2. Human eyes produce three different kinds of tears: basal tears, which care for the cornea; reflex tears, which guard against irritants; and emotional tears.
3. Although many animals shed tears, emotional tears—tears produced as the result of feeling—seem to be a uniquely human phenomenon.
4. Although different studies report differing numbers, they all agree that women cry at least twice as much—and probably more—than men.
5. Chopping onions causes tears because it releases syn-Propanethial S-oxide, an irritant that affects the lacrimal gland.
6. The scent of a woman's tears can reduce sexual arousal in men.
7. Women who live in Western societies, where they have equality and greater freedom, cry far more often than women whose lives are regulated by traditional cultural norms.
8. There is evidence that tears contain stress hormones, such that crying makes a person feel better by purging some of the negative stress.
9. People who suffer from certain forms of clinical depression no longer experience the urge to cry, due to a deep-seated belief that nothing can alleviate their suffering.
10. Crocodiles sometimes shed tears while feasting on their prey, giving rise to the phrase "crocodile tears" or fake tears. No one knows why they cry while eating.
For more interesting facts about tears, check out our article here: factretriever.com/tears-facts
Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more amazing facts about the world and beyond: youtube.com/channel/UCZxmYOAglFN29DPr7mEaDLQ
