The Holes In Your Pen Cap Were Designed To Save Lives

A tiny gap you never noticed does one very serious job.

Grab a cheap ballpoint pen and check the cap. Many have a small hole right at the top.

It isn't there to stop the ink drying out, and it isn't a cost-cutting shortcut.

People, especially kids, sometimes accidentally swallow pen caps. The hole is a safety measure.

If a cap gets stuck in the airway, that gap lets a little air pass through. A tiny hole, a big idea.