Garlic, mustard, and wasabi are either exciting taste sensations or painful causes of burning lips and tearing eyes, depending on your gastronomic predilection. For a long time, however, scientists didn’t know exactly what caused their piquancy. Thanks to a team at Yale University, however, we now know that a single pain receptor, TRPA1, is responsible for our bodies’ reactions to such foods.

Interesting but pointless? Not really. By learning more about pain receptors, scientists hope to develop new pain medications and to treat problems caused by similar environmental irritants such as car exhaust, tobacco smoke, and certain chemotherapy drugs.

Spicy foods seem to be popping up all over in the health news recently. Works for me.