Random Factoids #1

Funny Faulty Cause-and-Effect Reasoning #1

If you've ever seen VeggieTales (I'll admit that I loitered behind the couch a few times while Gloria was watching), you may know that quirky little ditty that Larry the cucumber sometimes sings during the "Silly Songs" segment. You know,

"If it doesn't have a tail, it's not a monkey, it's an ape."

So, then most computer mice, for example, would be monkeys? Computer monkeys? Well, not mine. Mine is a wireless beauty. That makes it an ape, right?

Strangely enough, my sister doesn't have a tail. I guess I was wrong in insulting her status on the evolutionary scale. She probably is an ape, just like the rest of my family.

Fun Fact #1

Neanderthals had larger brains than homo sapiens.

That's probably why they never thought of television, Bath 'n Body Works, and door-to-door encyclopedia salesmen.

Debunking the Myths #1

Most body heat escapes through your head.

45-50% of body heat escapes from your head? Not so. Your head is nothing special. Only 10% of body heat leaves your head during a frigid jaunt. Indeed, when this military study was performed, the guinea pigs happened to not be wearing any headgear, and were in an Arctic environment. Therefore, their heads were colder because the heat wasn't trapped by a hat and was allowed to escape. You see, it's sort of a "diffusion of heat", or conduction.

Diffusion is the movement of something from a high concentration to a low concentration. Energy also equalizes over time. That's why an ice cube melts-it is slowly heating up to room temperature as it takes energy from the air around it. After a while, the cube will achieve equilibrium-that is, it will be the same temperature as the air around it, and have about the same energy. Heat also escapes the same way. With a blanket, heat is trapped and conserved, and your body heats up the interior of the blanket, keeping you warm. But when your head is sans covering in the winter, the heat will be drawn into the air to equalize the temperature. That's why you will end up with with a cold scalp by trying this experiment out for yourself.

Don't believe me, Mom? Check out this link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1097078/Losing-heat-head-Discover-barefaced-truth-hats-myths.html

I'm recalling the scientific parts from memory from my textbook...I'm pretty sure I have all the definitions just about right. Feel free to add any corrections.