Tina was helping her grandmother cook dinner. The savory aro…
Tina was helping her grandmother cook dinner. The savory aroma of garlic and onions filled the warm kitchen. As she reached out to adjust the pot on the stove, her fingers touched the hot metal lid—sizzling, blistering heat surged through her skin. Instantly, neurons in her fingertips detected the dangerous temperature and fired off electrical signals. These signals raced through her peripheral nerves to her . There, the message was relayed by , the messengers in the spinal cord. Without even waiting for the brain to process the pain, the interneurons sent an urgent command to her arm muscles through the neurons. In a reflexive flash, Tina’s hand jerked back. She gasped, cradling her stinging fingers, the scent of cooked onions still lingering as her brain finally caught up: “That was hot!”