In a recent DarkHorse Private Q&A Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying, both PhDs in biology, answer a Locals Member question about boogers.

Q: "Funny one. Why do kids pick their boogers and eat them? Is there an evolutionary advantage? Forgive me if you've already answered this one. Love you both! Thanks for all you do."

@BretWeinstein starts by summarizing his answer: "Two adaptive explanations, for which I do not have a high confidence …

One, it's a resource and this is a way of recycling it.

Two, it may contain information and that information may have an adaptive utility."