Monthly Archives: May 2008
- May 30, 2008
- How much gas does a normal person pass per day?
On average, a person produces about half a liter of fart gas per day, distributed over an average of about fourteen daily farts.
Whereas it may be difficult for you to determine your daily flatus volume, you can certainly keep track of your daily numerical fart count. You might try this as a science fair [...]
- May 28, 2008
- What turns snot green?
People are obsessed with the color of their secretions. In the hospital, you often get detailed descriptions about the color changes in a person’s stool, urine, or sputum. Stool color changes can reflect illness, but urine color is rarely helpful unless blood is present. As for snot, identifying the rainbow of possibilities may be helpful [...]
- May 28, 2008
- Why do farts make noise?
The sounds are produced by vibrations of the anal opening. Sounds depend on the velocity of expulsion of the gas and the tightness of the sphincter muscles of the anus.
- May 26, 2008
- Why do older people fart more than younger people?
We tried to find the derivation of the expression “old fart” but were unsuccessful. We will have to assume that is has something to do with an older person’s propensity to let his flatulence fly without any regard for where he is when he is passing wind.
There are some reasons why the elderly would be [...]
- May 25, 2008
- Can bald men get lice?
So you are going bald, but trying to look on the bright side, right? You make a list of all the positives: no wasting time in the morning with hairstyling, less money spent on products, no more hat head, no dandruff, and of course, no head lice.
Well, you may not be so lucky. You don’t [...]
- May 25, 2008
- How many parts does the human heart have?
The human heart is made up of four different blood-filled areas, and each of these areas is called a chamber.
There are two chambers on each side of the heart. One chamber is on the top and one chamber is on the bottom. The two chambers on top are called the atria. If you’re talking only [...]
- May 25, 2008
- What makes farts stink?
The odor of farts comes from small amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas and skatole in the mixture. These compounds contain sulfur. The more sulfur-rich your diet, the more sulfides and skatole will be produced by the bacteria in your guts, and the more your farts will stink. Foods such as cauliflower, eggs and meat are [...]
- May 23, 2008
- Why are beans so notorious for making people fart?
Beans contain sugars that we humans cannot digest. When these sugars reach our intestines, the bacteria go wild, have a big feast, and make lots of gas!
Other notorious fart-producing foods include corn, bell peppers, cabbage, milk, and raisins.
A friend of mine had a dog who was exceptionally fond of apples and turnips. The dog [...]
- May 22, 2008
- What is fart gas made of?
The composition of fart gas is highly variable.
Most of the air we swallow, especially the oxygen component, is absorbed by the body before the gas gets into the intestines. By the time the air reaches the large intestine, most of what is left is nitrogen. Chemical reactions between stomach acid and intestinal fluids may [...]
- May 21, 2008
- Stress in pregnancy may raise kids’ asthma risk
Stressful events experienced during mothers’ pregnancy may be passed on to their babies, influence their immune system development and increase the risky for asthma.
The ongoing study by researchers at Harvard Medical School measured the blood levels of an antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), the marker of immune response, in the umbilical cord to examine the impact [...]
- May 21, 2008
- American teenagers do not save virginity with oral sex
U.S. teens do not appear to substitute oral sex for vaginal sex as a means to preserve virginity, according to the first nationwide study to examine the question.
The analysis of a federal survey of more than 2,200 males and females aged 15 to 19, released yesterday, found that more than half reported having had oral [...]
- May 21, 2008
- Does low vitamin D level raise breast cancer risk?
A Canadian study found that low vitamin D level may raise breast cancer risk.
Breast cancer patients with lower levels of vitamin D are more likely to have the disease spread or die from it than those with higher levels of the substance.
The study, to be presented at an upcoming meeting of the American Society of [...]
- May 21, 2008
- How does a fart travel to the anus?
One may wonder why fart gas travels downward toward the anus when gas has a lower density than liquids and solids, and should therefore travel upwards.
The intestine squeezes its contents toward the anus in a series of contractions, a process called peristalsis. The process is stimulated by eating, which is why we often need [...]
- May 20, 2008
- Can blood test detect early lung cancer?
The answer is yes. Blood test can alert you to lung cancer.
According to a new study by an Indian American, lung cancer can be detected early with a simple blood test, doing away with the need for invasive biopsies.
“These findings suggest that lung cancers interact with circulating white blood cells and change the types of [...]
- May 20, 2008
- Is it harmful to hold in farts?
There are differences in opinion on this one. Certainly, people have believed for centuries that retaining flatulence is bad for the health. Emperor Claudius even passed a law legalizing farting at banquets out of concern for peoples’ health. There was a widespread belief that a person could be poisoned or catch a disease by [...]
- May 20, 2008
- Where does fart gas come from?
The gas in our intestines comes from the following sources:
air we swallow
gas seeping into our intestines from our blood
gas produced by chemical reactions in our guts
gas produced by bacteria living in our guts
- May 18, 2008
- What causes gum disease?
When dental plaque is not removed from the teeth, the bacteria in the plaque irritate the gums, causing inflammation. This is known as gingivitis.
Gingivitis is the most common form of gum disease. Over 90% of people have gingivitis somewhere in their mouth.
The symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen gums that often bleed when tooth-brushing.
Thorough cleaning [...]
- May 16, 2008
- What causes tooth decay?
The bacteria in dental plaque rely on the sugars in our diet for energy and to grow. When bacteria metabolise these dietary sugars, they produce plaque acids. These acids etch and erode the enamel on our teeth, producing tooth decay.
We can measure the amount of acid in our mouth by testing the pH of our [...]
- May 16, 2008
- How can dental plaque be controlled?
Some dental plaque is removed by saliva or by movement of the tongue and cheeks over the teeth.
Brushing and flossing every day can help to control dental plaque.
Regular professional cleaning at your dentist office is the best way to keep plaque under control.
- May 16, 2008
- How does dental plaque grow?
Dental plaque germs feed on many of the foods we eat. Carbohydrates and sugars are their favorites. When these germs stay on the teeth, they grow in number and form into clumps. Plaque produces acid as it feeds. This acid is the major cause of tooth decay and gum disease.
- May 16, 2008
- What is dental plaque?
Dental plaque is a sticky, tooth coloured, soft, furry film which forms every day on our teeth. It is almost clear and can be hard to see unless you color it with a special dye. Dental plaque is found mostly between the teeth and near or under the gum line.
Dental plaque is made up mainly [...]
- May 16, 2008
- Can physical activity prevent breast cancer?
It has been found that women who engage in physical activity are 25% less likely to develop breast cancer in a new study.
However, the scientists also found that certain groups are more likely to see this benefit than others.
The results showed that the type of activity undertaken, at what time in life it is performed [...]
- May 11, 2008
- Are there more violent crimes when the moon is full?
We already dispelled a similar myth about more babies being conceived when the moon is full. This one has no basis in science either.
Several studies have examined lunar cycles and violent behavior. There is no scientific of statistical support for a connection between a full moon and aggressive or violent behavior.
Now, when Billy goes to [...]
- May 10, 2008
- Are you more likely to die in the passenger seat in a car accident?
In the emergency room where Dr. Billy works, it is extremely common to see patients after a motor vehicle crash. We use the term crash rather than accident because accidents should be avoidable. Seat belt use clearly reduces the number of serious injuries but is there a safer place to sit in the car?
The passenger [...]
- May 9, 2008
- Can you get Lyme disease from a reindeer?
It looks like Santa’s elves might need to start checking each other for ticks. Leyner and I were unable to find a case report of an elf afflicted with Lyme disease, but we offer the following scientific analysis and deductive reasoning- Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the [...]
- May 8, 2008
- Why do Asians turn red after consuming alcohol?
We thought about cutting this question because of the risk of sounding racist, but before anyone jumps to conclusions, go do some reading about the metabolism of alcohol and specifically the low-Km mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrgenase (ALDH2) isoenzyme.
Yes, that’s right. There is a physiological reason that some Asians, including Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, get flushed in [...]
- May 8, 2008
- Does it mean you are crazy if you dream in color?
I dream in color. Mark, on the other hand, dreams in high-definition IMAX, and the dialogue in his dreams is dubbed in poorly synchronized staccato Portuguese. But this doesn’t mean that either of us is crazy.
Dreaming in color is a perfectly normal phenomenon. Scientist have always reported that people dream in both color and black [...]
- May 8, 2008
- What was wrong with tiny Tim in a Christmas carol?
Tiny Tim Cratchit is one of the most poignant characters in the history of Christmas literature and movies. For many people he is the very embodiment of physical disability, and few can forget his sweet and saintly disposition. He represented for author Charles Dickens the wretched state of children in Victorian England. What Dickens the [...]
- May 7, 2008
- What if Santa were lactose intolerant?
So you sneak downstairs to get a glimpse of Santa scarfing the cookies and milk you so lovingly left for him. Instead, you see an empty plate and glass, and you hear a groaning coming from behind the half-closed door of the powder room. You approach the room and peek in … There’s Santa, his [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Does irregular sleep tie to ill health?
People who sleep more than nine or fewer than six hours a night are more likely to be obese, according to a U.S. government study.
The study also linked light sleepers to higher smoking rates, less physical activity and more alcohol use.
The research adds weight to a stream of studies that have found obesity and [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Are there more suicides during the holiday season?
We hate to say this as writers, but you shouldn’t always believe what you read. The press and electronic media have persistently promulgated the myth that people are more likely to kill themselves at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s than at any other time of the year. Over 30 percent of news reports on the [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Do breast cancer tumours grow faster in younger women?
A new Norwegian study found that breast cancer tumours in younger women may grow faster.
A scientific research group from the Cancer Registry of Norway analyzed data from nearly 400,000 female breast cancer patients between the ages of 50 and 69. They found that tumours in younger women aged 50~59 took an average of 1.4 years [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Can your tongue get stuck on a frozen pole?
Do you remember the classic 1983 movie A Christmas Story, in which nine-year-old Ralph “Ralphie” Parker and his loyal friend Flick are faced with a “triple-dog-dare,” and poor Flick ends up sticking his tongue to a frozen flagpole until the fire department comes to the rescue?
What’s the scientific explanation for this classic frozen faux pas? [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Can Calcium and Vitamin D Prevent Colon Cancer?
Specific vitamins and minerals in the diet appear to prevent the development of colon cancer. However, too much iron may cause malignancies to grow. Emory University scientists recently announced these findings, based on biological markers that influence colon cancer risk, at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in San Diego.
Earlier studies have suggested that [...]
- May 7, 2008
- Is alcohol a cause of cancer?
ALCOHOL is one of the most well-established causes of cancer and there is no safe level of consumption, the Cancer Institute NSW has concluded after an extensive analysis of worldwide research.
The state government agency will today release a new report on the strong link between alcohol consumption and cancer, highlighting alarmingly high rates of risk [...]
- May 5, 2008
- Can you get drunk from eating rum cake?
A couple of shots of Jack Daniels and a beer will do the trick much more efficiently. But if you want to drown your sorrows in rum cake, it all depends on how you prepare it and how much you eat. Here’s a chart of the percentage of alcohol left in dishes following various methods [...]
