Friday, February 8, 2008
Black History Fact 2-8-08
1951 - Private Edward O. Cleaborn, Memphis soldier, awarded Distinguished Service Cross.
Nerd Article: Does gum really stay in you for seven years?
Surely you were warned, most likely from your mother: You shouldn't swallow gum, because it stays in your digestive system for seven years. But if that were true, what kind of havoc would that wreak? Our digestive system is built to dissolve and excrete what we put in our mouths in a matter of hours, days at most, but certainly not years.The urban legend reference Web site Snopes.com put the kibosh on the rumor that gum stays in you for years, and medical science confirms the site's conclusion. Pediatric gastroenterologist David Milov tells the magazine Scientific American that he can say "with complete certainty" that gum does not stay in you for seven years [source: Scientific American].
This is due to the effectiveness of your digestive system. When you swallow food, it travels down your esophagus into your stomach. Here enzymes and acids go to work on the food, beginning the process of breaking the food down.
From the stomach, the partially digested food is moved into the intestine, where -- with help from your liver and pancreas -- the food is broken down into its components. These components are used to fuel the body. Those elements of food that can't be used are sent to the colon, where they'll be processed into waste.
Generally, gum is made up of four general components, and our bodies can easily break down three of these. The gum's flavorings, sweeteners and softeners are all no match for human digestion. It's the gum base that sticks around. Gum base is made mostly of synthetic chemicals, and these chemicals give gum its chewy property. It's designed to resist the digestive properties of the saliva in your mouth. But once it's swallowed, even the gum base is subjected to the same treatment as regular food, and after it's recognized as useless by your digestive system, it goes the same route as any waste product.
Chewing gum began as early as 7,000 years ago -- researchers have found lumps of tar with human teeth marks in them. Modern gum got its start during the 1860s, when exiled Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (who captured the Alamo in March 1836) introduced chicle to gum maker Thomas Adams, who then made it into gum. But the origin of the gum-swallowing legend is much less clear. Despite the evidence lent by the continued healthy existence of those who swallow gum, this rumor persists. Perhaps that's because, every once in a blue moon, a medical case resulting from swallowed gum turns up.
David Milov and colleagues wrote in the journal Pediatrics about a few case studies of kids who had ignored admonishments against swallowing gum -- and paid for it. One boy suffered from two years of chronic constipation. Years of swallowing five to seven pieces of gum each day led to a "'taffy-like' trail of fecal material" consisting mostly of gum, which had to be suctioned out of his rectum [source: Milov].
But gum still doesn't stay in your digestive system for seven years. The boy who had the "'taffy-like' trail" was just 4 when he underwent the removal procedure. It's possible that the gum might have remained in his tract for seven years, but intervention by physicians circumvented that. So while he will always be a walking footnote in support of the fears of mothers everywhere, the seven-year mark remains elusive. And that's probably a good thing.
For more information on urban legends and digestion, read the next page
Click here to read the next page: http://health.howstuffworks.com/gum-seven-years.htm
This is due to the effectiveness of your digestive system. When you swallow food, it travels down your esophagus into your stomach. Here enzymes and acids go to work on the food, beginning the process of breaking the food down.
From the stomach, the partially digested food is moved into the intestine, where -- with help from your liver and pancreas -- the food is broken down into its components. These components are used to fuel the body. Those elements of food that can't be used are sent to the colon, where they'll be processed into waste.
Generally, gum is made up of four general components, and our bodies can easily break down three of these. The gum's flavorings, sweeteners and softeners are all no match for human digestion. It's the gum base that sticks around. Gum base is made mostly of synthetic chemicals, and these chemicals give gum its chewy property. It's designed to resist the digestive properties of the saliva in your mouth. But once it's swallowed, even the gum base is subjected to the same treatment as regular food, and after it's recognized as useless by your digestive system, it goes the same route as any waste product.
Chewing gum began as early as 7,000 years ago -- researchers have found lumps of tar with human teeth marks in them. Modern gum got its start during the 1860s, when exiled Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (who captured the Alamo in March 1836) introduced chicle to gum maker Thomas Adams, who then made it into gum. But the origin of the gum-swallowing legend is much less clear. Despite the evidence lent by the continued healthy existence of those who swallow gum, this rumor persists. Perhaps that's because, every once in a blue moon, a medical case resulting from swallowed gum turns up.
David Milov and colleagues wrote in the journal Pediatrics about a few case studies of kids who had ignored admonishments against swallowing gum -- and paid for it. One boy suffered from two years of chronic constipation. Years of swallowing five to seven pieces of gum each day led to a "'taffy-like' trail of fecal material" consisting mostly of gum, which had to be suctioned out of his rectum [source: Milov].
But gum still doesn't stay in your digestive system for seven years. The boy who had the "'taffy-like' trail" was just 4 when he underwent the removal procedure. It's possible that the gum might have remained in his tract for seven years, but intervention by physicians circumvented that. So while he will always be a walking footnote in support of the fears of mothers everywhere, the seven-year mark remains elusive. And that's probably a good thing.
For more information on urban legends and digestion, read the next page
Click here to read the next page: http://health.howstuffworks.com/gum-seven-years.htm
Nerd Article: How Igloos Work
Long before brick or wood houses with indoor heat became commonplace, people had to be creative when building homes to protect them from nature's elements. Wealthy Europeans embraced the concept of a nearly indestructible castle built from stone. Native Americans in warmer climates favored the tepee, or tipi, made entirely of animal hides or bark.
Unfortunately, for the inhabitants of Earth's more frigid regions, such as the Canadian tundra, neither of these were good options. Building materials were pretty much nonexistent, making it difficult to craft even the most rudimentary home. These people used the only abundant material to form a modest roof over their heads: snow. Thus, the igloo, the Inuit word for "snow house," was born. The Inuit, better known to many as Eskimos, invented the igloo centuries ago. The igloo was a means for hunters to survive brutal winters in a vast area spanning more than 3,500 miles, including eastern Siberia, Greenland, Alaska and parts of Canada.
You might be wondering how a house made of snow could possibly shield Inuit hunters from frigid temperatures. After all, snow is pretty cold -- and aren't igloos meant to counteract the cold? You may also be wondering why the Inuit would subject themselves to these icy conditions in the first place. But there's a reason why they made their homes in these areas.
In this article, you'll learn how igloos are built and how the properties of snow helped the ingenious Inuit create a low-cost, low-effort shelter. We'll also discuss the truth about some common igloo-related myths, as well as the basics of how to build your own igloo.
Bundle up and brace yourself because igloos aren't just picturesque mounds of snow dotting the frozen landscape -- there's a whole lot to them. We'll start by learning about the Inuit, inventors of the igloo.
You might be wondering how a house made of snow could possibly shield Inuit hunters from frigid temperatures. After all, snow is pretty cold -- and aren't igloos meant to counteract the cold? You may also be wondering why the Inuit would subject themselves to these icy conditions in the first place. But there's a reason why they made their homes in these areas.
In this article, you'll learn how igloos are built and how the properties of snow helped the ingenious Inuit create a low-cost, low-effort shelter. We'll also discuss the truth about some common igloo-related myths, as well as the basics of how to build your own igloo.
Bundle up and brace yourself because igloos aren't just picturesque mounds of snow dotting the frozen landscape -- there's a whole lot to them. We'll start by learning about the Inuit, inventors of the igloo.
Click here to read the entire article:
BREAKING NEWS: Congress Passes Stimulus Package
Congress Passes Stimulus Package
Congress passes an economic aid bill with election-year rebates of $600 or $1,200 for most taxpayers.
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