Ears, neck, nipples and feet – these are all non-reproductive places on the body we’ve heard of people considering erogenous zones. We were today years old, though, when we heard about people getting frisky when someone touched their… belly button?

Via VICE:

The navel is an erogenous zone because it has multiple nerve endings that make it sensitive to touch and alive to various sensations. According to relationship counsellor Ruchi Ruuh, the navel also shares some of the same kinds of tissue with the genitals. In some people, this connection is strong, and the stimulation of the navel will “elicit a distinct tickle in the genitals,” Ruuh said. 

Some people are excited by belly buttons to the extent of fetishizing them. The navel play fetish is also known as alvinophilia, and falls under partialism – any fetish where the focus is on a particular part of the partner’s body, like a foot fetish.People might use feathers, candles, food and sex toys on one another to act on the fetish in practice – or just especially admire their partner’s belly button during sex.

Huh! Ya learn something new every day. If you’re feeling like “yep, belly buttons make me feel things,” head over to VICE for advice on safe navel play!