Some itches are caused by obvious physical triggers (OMG, there's a spider on your arm!). Others, though, have a more complicated source. Watching other people itch can make you feel itchy. In this piece at Scientific American blogs, Scicurious explains the neurobiology behind sympathetic itching. I got four paragraphs in before I had to scratch my neck. How about you?

  • Just_Ok

    Yawn.

  • Antinous / Moderator

    Recommend that you not Google ‘Norwegian scabies’.

    • http://www.matthewpetty.com/ Matthew Petty

      isn’t it good?

      • http://2012diaries.blogspot.com/ tristan eldritch

        It’s one of my least favorite Lennon – McCartney numbers.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew-Parliment/100000014947469 Andrew Parliment

    Me? I scratched my neck right between reading “I got four paragraphs in before I had to scratch my neck. How about you?” and clicking the link.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6703269 Nils Lobie Weedøn

      Me too!

  • bardfinn

    Three itches before I finished the headline. >.<

  • http://artdonovan.typepad.com Art

    I’ve always said that we’re itchy all the time- day and night. 
    We’re simply not aware of it. Horrifying thought.

  • huskerdont

    I was itching before I read your headline–when I was still finishing the previous post. It was a bit freaky, but it seems my subconscious had scanned on ahead for something to do.

  • Culturedropout

    I was already sitting here scratching my balls when I clicked the link, so I’m going to have to disqualify myself…

  • Jerril

    Interesting. I’d heard theories that autism is related to defective mirror neurons, and here I am not itchy at all.

  • da_phonz

    The top of my ear. Weird spot I know.