Let’s look at some “longbelieved” ancient pronouncements. They just have to be factual, since they have been repeated as “guaranteed truths” for so long by such knowledgeable folks!
1. Hot water freezes faster than cold!…..NO!.....This idea has a name, and it is called the Mpemba effect, named after the Tanzanian schoolboy, who noticed in 1963 that the ice cream he and his schoolmates made from warm milk seemingly froze faster than that from cool milk. MIT’s mechanical engineering department states that no matter the initial temperature of the water, it must be brought down to the “freezing point” before it will change its state and become ICE. It will actually take more time and energy to freeze hot water because it must be brought down farther in temperature until it reaches the freezing point than will cooler water! Most likely what impacts the freezing times of water are impurities in the liquid, such as salts and other dissolved solids and gasses—and in ingredients of homemade ice cream!
2. Can frostbite occur in temperatures above freezing?.....NO!.....Above 32 degrees, a person cannot get “frostbite,” but he can get hypothermia, which happens when the body temperature falls below 95 degrees. But, the “windchill” can really speed up the processes of both conditions, as can dampness! Frostbite occurs when skin and underlying tissues freeze. Usually, this is caused by exposure, but it can also be caused by direct contact with ice, freezing cold metals, or very cold liquids besides water.
3. Can cold weather exposure or windy weather exposure or wet/ cold weather exposure cause disease/ illness?......NO!...... Getting cold or wet does not cause a person to get sick! There are conditions, though, that can cause you to be prone to “come down” with a cold or other illness—becoming emotionally distressed, becoming extremely tired (exhausted), suffering from allergies. Bacteria and viruses cause infections—not the weather! Any types of stress may reduce your resistance to diseases or other health problems, however! And, being “cooped up” as a result of cold or bad weather can lead to being more highly exposed to germs and, therefore, causing more illness outbreaks. Finally, viruses often “thrive” in colder temperatures!
4. Being overweight shortens a person’s life expectancy!......NO!.....A recent study of more than 190,000 people found that overweight people had the same longevity as “normal weight adults.” However, in general they had more health problems!
5. Does eating too much SUGAR cause diabetes?...... NO!......Sweets (sugars) don’t chronically lead to high blood sugar, but they can lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for diabetes.
6. Poison Ivy is contagious from person-to-person!...... NO!......The only way to contract a poison ivy rash is to come into contact with the plant or plant’s sap. You cannot catch the “itch” from someone else who has it, unless that person still has the sap on his or her skin!
7. Alzheimer’s and Dementia are two separate conditions!......NO!......The word, DEMENTIA, refers to a host (umbrella) of disorders that affect brain functioning—and Alzheimer’s is one of these disorders (diseases).
8. When a man and woman produce a child, the man determines its GENDER!...... YES!......The gender (sex) of a baby is determined by the two sex chromosomes inherited from the parents—one from the mother and one from the father. The mother possesses two (2) (X) chromosomes, while the father possesses one (1) (X) chromosome and one (1) (Y) chromosome. If the mother contributes an (X) and the father an (X), the child will be a GIRL. If the mother contributes an (X) and the father a (Y), the child will be a BOY. All the mother can contribute with her egg will be an (X), but the father can contribute either an (X) or a (Y) with his sperm. **Average men have basically about 50% of each.
9. The sun is closer to the earth in the winter than in the summer!......YES!.......During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is at is closest to the earth. *O. K., then why is it not warmest then if the sun is closer? Answer: The TILT of the Earth’s axis of rotation is away from the sun in January, causing the sun’s rays to be more slanted in the winter as opposed to more direct in the summer. Direct rays cause more heating even if farther away!
O. K. How do you know that I know all the answers? You don’t! However, you can believe me when I say that I have researched these nine differing “points” and believe to the best of my ability that the answers are TRUE!
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