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alexpotatoyesterday at 12:20 AM5 repliesview on HN

An interesting story about the Photic Sneeze Reflex [0]:

it's one of the things that fighter pilots are screened for. The reasoning is that they can't have a pilot looking down and dark ground, look up to scan for enemy fighters and start sneezing.

Some people with the reflex can also have multiple sneezes in a row.

I find this all fascinating as:

- I have this

- I was also born with no sense of smell

0 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photic_sneeze_reflex


Replies

embedding-shapetoday at 1:06 AM

> Some people with the reflex can also have multiple sneezes in a row.

I think that is unrelated to the sun-sneeze reflex though, some people that don't have that reflex can sneeze multiple times in a row, and vice-versa too.

stronglikedanyesterday at 7:34 PM

I think I just learned that I have this! I usually sneeze when walking out of the house into the morning sun. And regardless of what makes me sneeze, it's rarely just one or two at a time.

kraquepypeyesterday at 8:35 PM

I have this as well, and all my kids seem to as well.

Never knew that it was part of fighter pilot screening, that is interesting.

show 1 reply
NoImmatureAdHomyesterday at 8:39 PM

Do you like to eat? Or do it out of a sense of duty?

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