It is a common myth that chocolate aggravates acne. Experiments conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Naval Academy found that consumption of chocolate – even frequent daily dietary intake – had no effect on the incidence of acne. Professional dermatologists no longer link acne with diet.
It is a comparatively recent insight that light travels from the object to the eye. Until about 400 years ago, it was thought that there was "something" in the eye that went out and saw the object.
It is estimated that a healthy individual releases 3.5 oz. of gas in a single flatulent emission, or about 17 oz. in a day.
It is estimated that the human race grows daily by about 214,000 people.
It is impossible to drink too much water on a hike. Hikers' biggest problem is dehydration, which leads to fatigue. This increases the possibility of injuring oneself. Hikers should avoid beverages with caffeine and alcohol, both of which can dehydrate.
It is possible to drown and not die. Technically, the term "drowning" refers to the process of taking water into the lungs, not to death caused by that process.
It requires the use of 72 muscles to speak a single word.
It takes 17 facial muscles to smile but 42 to frown.
It takes 27 minutes of gardening to burn 100 calories.
It takes only 15 watts of electricity going through a human body to stop the heart. Common lightbulbs run on about 25 to 75 watts of electricity.
It takes the human eyes an hour to adapt completely to seeing in the dark. Once adapted, however, the eyes are about 100,000 times more sensitive to light than they are in bright sunlight.
It was discovered that the lymph nodes filter out foreign chemicals, particles, and microorganisms before they enter the bloodstream when an autopsy was performed on a heavily tattooed sailor; his lymph nodes had traces of ink in them.
Just sitting and doing nothing, the average person burns 1,700 calories of energy, or 7,000 kilojoules.
Lack of sleep is becoming such a problem for American adults that 8 percent say they occasionally or frequently fall asleep at work, and 19 percent say they make errors because of sleepiness.
Laughing is aerobic. It provides a workout for the diaphragm and increases the body's ability to use oxygen.
Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.
Licorice can raise your blood pressure.
Localized infections are contained to a small area. These can occur if dirt gets in a cut.
Man has tiny bones once meant for a tail and unworkable muscles once meant to move his ears.
Man's three-pound brain is the most complex and orderly arrangement of matter known in the universe.
|© 2006 The Mine of Useless Information|