Top 10 Craziest Science Stuff You Did Not Know

[A Turtle Named Mack]

I have placed this in the Urban Legend portion of the forum because I believe most of these are in fact urban (or rural) legends. One of the commenters to the article disputes the 'hypnotizing chickens' claim, and another disputes the 'gay bomb' as science (I know we have a thread somehere on that). I submit this for your dissection and amusement.

http://bored-bored.com/articles-and-...ou-didnt-know/

[Mad Jay]

Picking one’s nose and eating it might be healthy

Mucophagy (literally mucus-eating, also referred as picking one’s nose and eating it) is the consumption of the nasal mucus, boogers, and other detritus obtained from nose-picking.

Some research suggests that mucophagy may be a natural and even healthy activity, which exposes the digestive system to bacteria accumulated in the mucus, thereby helping to strengthen the immune system.

TMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMITMI TMI TMI

My one year old has started picking his nose and then immiediately sticking the finger in his mouth. We've been trying to stop him. Maybe we shouldn't...hmmm

In young boys, one of the most common causes of genital injury is when the toilet seat falls down while using the toilet.

I learned that one from a Styx album.....

A boy of 5 stands close to the toilet
Holds the lid up with one hand
Won't let go the lid for fear that
On his banana it will land
Don't sit down on the Plexiglas toilet yeah

[Em]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

One of the commenters to the article disputes the 'hypnotizing chickens' claim...

The chicken trick works. When I was quite young I once hypnotised all the chooks in the hen house then ran to find someone so I could show them. I didn't bother to close the gate behind me due to the fact that all the chooks were staring at the ground, but it slammed against the fence when I opened it so they all woke up and got out.

My mother was not amused.

[italian_guy]

The third nipple stuff is no urban legend: in fact, I have three nipples. The third one is very little; I thought it was a mole, before my dermatologist revealed me its true nature.

[CatPurrson]

I can definitely see the idea of the "gay bomb" either coming from or turning up in one of those spoof movies. Two armies facing off, ready for battle, then "Boom!", and all of the soldiers start groping each other and kissing... Not sure how much I believe that one.

Rabbits can be hypnotized-- I saw it happen once. One of my profs needed to draw a rabbit's blood for an experiment, and another prof came in, hypnotized the bunny by rubbing its face a certain way (I think along either side of the nose). They were then able to lay the bunny down on its back and draw its blood. Bun-bun recovered fully, and went on to become someone's pet.

I kind of expected the method where one tucks the chicken's head under its wing-- isn't that supposed to do the trick, too? Or something similar?

Now if I can just hypontize my cats... "You are getting sleeeepy, verrrreey sleeeeeeeepeeeeeey... You will quit trying to smother me in my sleeeeeep..."

CatPurrson

[Auntie Witch]

Originally Posted by CatPurrson

Rabbits can be hypnotized-- I saw it happen once. One of my profs needed to draw a rabbit's blood for an experiment, and another prof came in, hypnotized the bunny by rubbing its face a certain way (I think along either side of the nose). They were then able to lay the bunny down on its back and draw its blood. Bun-bun recovered fully, and went on to become someone's pet.

I used to "hypnotize" my rabbits all the time - there's a nerve in their back that, when laid on, will put them to sleep. Very handy when you have to trim nails (or, for one bunny, her teeth! ) because they go right to sleep. You have to be careful and not make a loud noise because they might jerk awake, and some bunnies won't let you flip them over, but if you can get them in the right position and then pet them on the head a few times, they're pretty much out cold.

ETA: What I assume your prof did was calm the bunny enough by stroking it's face to flip it over, and then once it was on its back, it passed out for them.

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

Picking one’s nose and eating it might be healthy

Mucophagy (literally mucus-eating, also referred as picking one’s nose and eating it) is the consumption of the nasal mucus, boogers, and other detritus obtained from nose-picking.

Some research suggests that mucophagy may be a natural and even healthy activity, which exposes the digestive system to bacteria accumulated in the mucus, thereby helping to strengthen the immune system.

Bleah.

Don't we swallow enough through post-nasal drip?