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Why do my fingers go wrinkly in the bath?
The skin change is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and scientists still disagree on whether wrinkly fingertips actually help you hold wet things.
On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Chip Darnell on BBN TonightPublished
Footage: Sillerkiil · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- First reported by Wikipedia: “Why do my fingers go wrinkly in the bath?”
- Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 9:26 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Chip Darnell.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
What BBN said about it
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentChip asked me why his fingers go wrinkly in the bath. Turns out your sympathetic nervous system is basically a tiny hand puppeteer.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentStep one. After a long bath, your fingertips get wrinkly, like raisins.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRaisins! So my body is literally turning my fingers into dried fruit just so I can hold the soap better?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat is not a ride. Step two. It's not just soggy skin. Your nerves tell tiny blood vessels to shrink.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo the nerves are the ride operator, and the blood vessels are riders told to scoot over.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentStep three. When they shrink, that pulls the skin into wrinkles. Per Wikipedia, your sympathetic nervous system controls it.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAnd the wrinkles are the ride ticket stubs.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentNo. Step four. Some scientists think wrinkles help you grip wet things, like tyre treads.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorDo wrinkly fingers really grip better?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat is the exact question scientists ask. Some studies say yes, by about a fifth less effort on wet objects.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentOthers found no difference, so they're still checking!
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentChip, that was genuinely brilliant.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorGreat, because I'm riding the Wrinkle Wheel after a long bath, and I'm holding a wet corn dog.
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Friday, October 16, 2026 · the Weird News archive · all months
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