# Nostril flarers - report in! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 21, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444 "2002-03-21T23:37:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/1 "2002-03-21T23:37:03Z")
In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1924584#post1924584) thread, 3 of the first 5 respondents report an ability to voluntarily flare their nostrils. Apparently, this is more common than I thought. Who else can do this? Are their any statistics to be found for the population as a whole? ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/2 "2002-03-21T23:45:34Z")
I can! (but then, my thumbs are also “double-jointed,” so I may just be a freak.) ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/3 "2002-03-21T23:46:42Z")
I can flare my nostrils, and for what it’s worth, everyone in my immediate family can, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/4 "2002-03-21T23:47:49Z")
Me, too. I can also raise my eyebrows one at a time a la John Belushi. ---
**Author:** ![HerMajestyLorna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7cd45c/32.png) [@HerMajestyLorna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HerMajestyLorna)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/5 "2002-03-22T00:00:14Z")
I didn’t know there are people who are incapable. (My ignorance is just melting away…) Yes, I can. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/6 "2002-03-22T00:07:00Z")
Flare nostrils … check. Arch eyebrows independently … check. Roll tongue … check. ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/7 "2002-03-22T00:11:36Z")
Yep. I can flare my nostrils, raise either eyebrow independently (left is preferred, though), roll my tongue (completely upside-down), AND wiggle my ears (independently or together). However, despite YEARS of trying, I have never been able to do that “Bewitched” nose-wriggle. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/8 "2002-03-22T00:13:48Z")
Nostril flare: yes tongue roll: yes ear wiggle: no eyebrow dance: no ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/9 "2002-03-22T00:15:26Z")
I can. I do it often I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/10 "2002-03-22T00:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Flare nostrils … check. > Arch eyebrows independently … check. > Roll tongue … check. Same here ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/11 "2002-03-22T00:31:39Z")
Yep. Can’t do the Mr. Spock eyebrow thing though. Dammit ---
**Author:** ![ringmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9e8a1a/32.png) [@ringmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ringmaster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/12 "2002-03-22T01:21:34Z")
I can. I want to learn morse code and use it. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/13 "2002-03-22T01:43:40Z")
I can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/14 "2002-03-22T01:47:01Z")
My abilities:- Nose flare: yep Eyebrow arch: sadly, no Tongue curl: uh huh Bum dance: you betcha life! (one for the Aussies :)) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/15 "2002-03-22T01:59:56Z")
My nostrils can flare, and they often do it involuntarily. One eyebrow at a time; sure. Tongue roll; yeah, so what? Ear wiggle; yup, one or both. Nose wiggle side-to-side; yes, but accompanied by the moustache, a la the petal sweeper in Peabody’s Improbable History. Last section of thumbs movable to perpandicular in both directions; yes Touch sole of foot to top of head; nope, not any more. I can no longer do a lotus position, either. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/16 "2002-03-22T02:08:51Z")
Flare, wiggle, arch, and roll: yes ---
**Author:** ![Enigma42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/87869e/32.png) [@Enigma42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enigma42)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/17 "2002-03-22T02:50:32Z")
Nostril flare: check Reverse nostril flare: check Tongue roll: check Double-jointed thumb: check Ear wiggle: only occaisionally Eyebrow arch: no, they move only as a pair Wait a minute, reverse nostril flare? Yes, I can voluntarily close both my nostrils without resorting to manually pinching. It’s pretty comical looking really. I don’t think this ability is much good for impressing the ladies. . . Anyone else here who can do this? ---
**Author:** ![kuroashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@kuroashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kuroashi)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/18 "2002-03-22T03:03:29Z")
voluntary flaring of the nostrils voluntary belching voluntary eyebrow raise and I’m potty trained too ---
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/19 "2002-03-22T07:07:59Z")
I can flare the ol’ nostrils. I couldn’t always do it, though – I had to train my nostrils to do it, by trying for weeks as a kid. Were other people just born with these oh-so-useful skills? ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444/20 "2002-03-22T11:43:49Z")
Yep, I can flare my nostrils. The flaring of the nostrils was especially useful as a child when we had to be quiet (like church) and I’d do it to make my cousin laugh out loud. I can only raise my left eyebrow on purpose, and I can only wink with my right eye. I can also make my ears move, I wouldn’t call it wiggling though…it’s more like moving them up and down. I don’t know what a tongue roll is, but if it’s folding it up the middle to make a ‘U’ then I can. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostril-flarers-report-in/99444.md?page=2)