What Does That Dangly Thing In The Back Of Your Throat Do?

That dangly thing in the back of your throat is called the uvula. It's one of the weirdest looking features of the human body. Yet despite its infamy, scientists have spent centuries puzzling over its function.
Its full name is the 'palatine uvula,' referring to its location on your soft palate. Through history, scientists have had many theories about the uvula. But what does the dangly throat thing really do?