Stuff To Blow Your Mind Licking, Part 2
Nov 20, 2025
Explore the intriguing world of licking, from animals to humans! Discover how dogs and other creatures engage in wound-licking and its connections to miraculous healing folklore. Delve into the science behind saliva's antimicrobial properties and the risks of over-licking. Uncover the social bonds formed through communal licking behaviors in bison and the affectionate gestures of cats. Plus, learn about the fascinating anatomy of geckos and the surprising functions of eye licking. Tune in for a delightful mix of science and culture!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
St. Roch And The Dog That Licked Wounds
- Joe describes St. Roch art showing a dog licking the saint's plague sores as part of a miracle legend.
- He links this imagery to real animal observations that likely inspired healing myths.
Wound Licking Is Broadly Adaptive
- Many mammals and some other animals routinely lick wounds, a behavior studied in rodents and observed across primates, carnivores, ungulates, and even ants.
- Wound licking likely evolved because its benefits (debridement, contamination removal) often outweigh the infection risks from oral microbes.
Tongue As A Natural Debridement Tool
- Licking mechanically cleans wounds by removing necrotic tissue and environmental contaminants that carry microbes.
- This mechanical debridement functions similarly to washing a wound with water and reduces infection risk.
