# Might be a little gross...but i'm curious.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 1999, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724 "1999-07-01T05:58:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/1 "1999-07-01T05:58:00Z")
Why when people pick their nose do they usually roll it in a ball? I’m thinking either A) A form of measurement so it can be compared to former rolled up monstrosities or B) It’s just plain easier to get it off their finger Any other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/2 "1999-07-01T06:31:00Z")
If you roll it to the ball it is easier to flick the booger off your finger. And at times you can get incredible distance and trajectory to the snotty projectile! Thus it serves both amusement principle and the easiness of loosing the booger off your finger * * * Cogito Ergo Vroom I think therefore I ride fast… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/3 "1999-07-01T07:52:00Z")
Because my fingers won’t get too sticky. And it leaves my fingers nice and clean. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/4 "1999-07-01T12:22:00Z")
Because circular motions are common for mammals, see the thread on why dogs circle subtitled “this is the correct answer”. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/5 "1999-07-01T16:30:00Z")
Even though I try rolliing it into a cube shape, it ends up looking like a ball anyway. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/6 "1999-07-01T16:35:00Z")
GROGtheNailer, suggest a polite way to observe people doing such… Probably to gather the size of it… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/7 "1999-07-02T01:46:00Z")
I heard Aussies invariably roll them clockwise. Is that true? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/8 "1999-07-02T02:09:00Z")
Gee, I just wipe it off on something, preferably the desk you’re going to sit in in the next class. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/9 "1999-07-02T14:58:00Z")
GROG asks: > [@](#): > > Why when people pick their nose do they usually roll it in a ball? and offers two opposing theories, but overlooks alternative theories like: “it taste better”… Hey, you opened this thread! Nice tag line, BTW… it pulled me right in. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-a-little-gross-but-im-curious/1724/10 "1999-07-02T15:47:00Z")
Well, it’s a good question. This behavior is known as “pilling”. It can be done with a variety of materials, not just dried mucus. Any small amount of gushy, sticky stuff can induce pilling by its owner. If you ever get Elmer’s glue on your hands and then peel it off later when it’s dried, you will probably pill it before throwing it away. I used to do it with rubber cement. Stuff like Silly Putty and Play-Doh also induces this behavior in people- but only if they have a little tiny bit of it. If you have too much you start playing with it in different ways- by squishing it between your fingers, etc. It’s a very strange behavior, though, when you think about it. Something about it seems innate. * * * “Who are all you people, and how did you get in my computer?”