Science Quickly ENCORE: Understanding the Science of ‘Squirting’
Dec 31, 2025
Wendy Zukerman, a renowned science journalist and host of the Science Vs podcast, dives into the mysterious phenomenon of squirting. She explores its cultural implications and shares her motivation behind investigating conflicting narratives. Wendy discusses scientific studies revealing that bladder fullness contributes to squirting, alongside the detection of urine markers in the fluid. Surprisingly, some individuals with penises also report squirting, revealing even more complexity. This eye-opening conversation unpacks what's known and speculated about this often-misunderstood topic.
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Squirting Is A Real Physiological Phenomenon
- Squirting is a physiological phenomenon where large amounts of fluid can gush out during intense arousal or orgasm for some people with vaginas.
- The topic has been highly politicized online despite being a testable biological question.
Personal Experience Shaped Initial View
- Wendy Zukerman recounts that early in her sexual life she squirted and assumed it was pee, then trained her body not to do it to avoid cleaning sheets.
- She later notes squirting has a sexualized cultural meaning and can be seen as an achievement.
Ultrasound Links Bladder To Squirting
- Small but carefully designed lab studies used ultrasound to observe bladder changes during arousal and squirting.
- Researchers found bladders that were empty before arousal can fill during arousal and then empty after squirting, implicating the bladder as the source.