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Scientists Identify How the Body Senses Cold
Vicissidude writes with a link to a story on the Nature website, discussing the discovery of a protein that may enable us to sense cold temperatures. It's been pinned down in mice, and the same protein may perform a similar function in humans. Mice rely on a single protein, called TRPM8, to sense both cold temperatures and menthol, the compound that gives mints their cool sensation. The sensor also controls the pain-relieving effect of cool temperatures, but does not seem to play an important role in the response to painfully cold temperatures below 10 C. TRPM8 is in the same family as the protein that detects heat and capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot. These proteins lie in the cell membranes of select neurons, and form channels that open and close in response to external signals."
Not to detract from the joke, but this isn't true on two levels. First, shivering is the response to a low core body temperature, not the "sensing" of it. Something else in the body is senses the drop in body temperature and triggers the shivering. It may be the way that the conscious brain "senses cold" but its not the way that the body does it. Second, this protein is not for detecting low body temperatures, it is for detecting "cold" surfaces and substances. TFA says this protein triggers at 27 C which is far too cold for use in the shivering mechanism (which triggers at about 35 C).
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
That's why old ladies, and men, show the "veins" through the skin, and "look ugly", more or less.
That "fat" layer is what insulates younger people from the cold, and enables them to swim in cold water, for instance. Older people can no longer do that, without the cold hurting quite a bit.
So, older people really like those sweaters, etc. that you send them for Christmas. It's one of the joys of old age to dress warmly in cold weather, with wool socks, hats, and so forth.
I heard that the elderly population in Alaska is very small, those who can afford it have moved to Florida.
Adding my two cents worth, as you can tell, I did not RTFA.
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"I'm trying to find a possible practical use of this research but can't think of any."
you can turn off the cold sensitivity in my teeth any time.
And yes, I'll pay for the privilege.
Nerves in teeth other than pressure sensors. Dumbest idea ever.