Liquid Catharsis: The Hidden Biochemistry of Emotional Tears

We cry when we slice an onion, and we cry when our hearts are broken. To the naked eye, these tears look identical. But under a microscope, they are entirely different chemical compositions. The human body has engineered a brilliant, silent exhaust valve for overwhelming psychological stress. While basal and reflex tears are mostly water and salt meant to lubricate and protect the eye, emotional...