Not a dry eye?

Why are some eyelashes seductively long, while others are short and workmanlike? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.

According to a recent study of numerous mammals conducted by Georgia Institute of Technology, the length of eyelashes are always about one-third as long as the eye is wide. Turns out that’s the ideal length for diverting airflow around the eye and reducing evaporation, keeping the eyeball moist. An engineering marvel with aesthetic benefits.

  —Diane Richard, writer, February 25

Image: David Hu and Guillermo J. Amador/Georgia Tech

Source: James Gorman, “Length of Lashes Keeps Eyes From Drying, Study Finds,” The New York Times, February 24, 2015