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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

Hi light

Everyone tells you how interesting your body is, but when you get right down to it, most of what your body does, smells like, and produces, is GROSS! Did you know that if you farted for six years and nine months, you could create energy equal to that of an atomic bomb? Or that at any one time, more than 100 million micro-creatures live in your mouth? Eeew! Come on, we all yawn, burp and fart but what causes our bodies to do these gross things? Read on to learn all about the gross and cool stuff humans’ bodies create – burps, yawns, gas and more!

Next time you’re with a group of your friends, try this out. Take a big yawn, don’t forget to cover your mouth, and wait to see how many other people yawn. There’s a good chance your yawn will be contagious. In fact, before you even finish reading this story it is likely that you’ll yawn at least once.

Not that we’re trying to bore you, but just reading about yawning will make you yawn!

Did you know: Even animals yawn when they see another animal yawn.

But why do we yawn?

Yawning doesn’t always mean you are bored. For a while scientists believed that you yawned when there was too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen in your blood. Part of your brain realised this and made you yawn. As your mouth stretches you inhale deeply, sending oxygen to the lungs and into the bloodstream. But nobody could prove the theory, so we’re back to square one. Basically, nobody really knows why we yawn.

Did you know: Blind people yawn more after hearing an audio tape of people yawning.

Why are they contagious?

Power of suggestion perhaps? If you’re out late with your friends after school, you’re probably tired. You’re probably on the verge of a yawn, too, and seeing one person do it is enough to drive everyone to yawns.

Did you know: 55 percent of people will yawn within five minutes of seeing someone else yawn.

How do you stop a yawn?

Easy! If you touch your tongue while yawning, it can stop the yawn.

Did you know: Seventeen-year-old Holly Thompson, yawned so deeply during class that she dislocated her jaw!

You’re probably yawning right now and it’s not because we’re boring you! Have you ever opened your mouth and accidentally let out a big, loud belch without even knowing it was going to happen?

What exactly causes burping?

Burping (or belching) is your body’s way of getting rid of extra air in your stomach. The extra air usually gets into your stomach from things like eating too quickly (you swallow air without even realising it!) or drinking the bubbles in fizzy sodas. Other things like chewing gum or using a straw can also make you swallow extra air.

Did you know: It’s against the law to burp, or sneeze in a certain church in Omaha, Nebraska!

Is burping bad for you?

Not at all! It is a perfectly normal to burp. Most people burp between 6 to 20 times per day, and burping three or four times after a meal is completely normal.

Did you know: Chickens can’t burp.

What does a burp contain?

The type of gas in a burp depends on how the gas got into your body. If you’re burping because you just drank something carbonated, your burp is made of carbon dioxide. If your burp is caused by swallowing the air around you, it is a mix of nitrogen and oxygen.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

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Hi light

Did you know: In some cultures, burping after a meal is a compliment to the cook!

Did you know: Herring use farts to communicate with each other.

Do animals burp?

Of course! In fact, researchers estimate that cows in the United States burp 50 million tons of valuable gasses into the atmosphere each year. If those gasses could be collected, the annual burps of only 10 cows would provide enough energy to heat a small home for an entire year!

What foods produce the smelliest farts?

Foods such as cauliflower, eggs and meat are notorious for producing smelly farts, whereas beans produce large amounts of not particularly stinky farts.

Other famous fart-producing foods include corn, bell peppers, cabbage, milk, bread, beer, and raisins. People unable to digest milk due to lactose intolerance will suffer extreme flatulence if they consume dairy products.

Did you know: Gorillas burp when they are happy!

Can you burp in space?

This isn’t usually as fun or pleasant a sensation as it is on Earth though! The lack of gravity in space makes the contents of an astronaut’s belly float at the top of their stomach. This means that in zero gravity any time an astronaut burps, they run the risk of releasing some of their food in a “wet” burp! Gross!

Did you know: Babies can sometimes yawn and burp at the same time!

P.U.! What’s that smell! Don’t worry... everyone farts, whether they live in France, China or the North Pole! We’ve saved the best (or worst) for last!

Ever wondered where farts come from?

Farts come from several sources: air we swallow, gas seeping into our intestines from our blood, gas produced by chemical reactions in our guts, and gas produced by bacteria living in our guts.

Did you know: An average person farts 14 times a day.

But what are they made of and why do they stink?

An average fart is made up of nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen and hydrogen sulfide (that’s the smelly part).

Did you know: A person can produces about 0.5 litres of farts a day. That’s almost 0.13 gallon.

Do animals fart?

Of course they do! The most fart producing animals are termites. Termite farts are believed to be a major contributor towards global warming! Next in line are camels, than zebras, sheep, cows, elephants, dogs and then humans.

Did you know: These animals cannot fart: The Pogonophoran Worm, the Jellyfish and the Coral and Sea Anemones.

Is it harmful to hold in farts?

There are differences in opinion on this one. People have believed for centuries that not farting is bad for the health. Emperor Claudius even passed a law legalising farting at banquets out of concern for people’s health. There was a widespread belief that a person could be poisoned or catch a disease by holding in farts. Doctors agree that the farts that are not released usually simply travel back upward into the intestine and come out later.

Did you know: Maggot farts have a similar effect to antibiotics. Science is still working on it to make it a medicine.

Why do farts smell so much worse in a shower than anywhere else?

The farts don’t actually smell worse, it’s just that we can smell them better than usual because of the small space.

Did you know: An Indian tribe in South America, called the Yanomami, use farting as a greeting!

If you were in space without a suit, would a fart have the energy to propel you forward?

Yes, a fart could propel you forward, since there is gravity in space.

Did you know: In ancient Japan, public contests were held to see who could fart the loudest and longest!

What would you like to see in Hi Five?

Send an email to hifive@tribune.com.pk and let us know!

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

4 : d e d e e n s ie l p p u S •Small plastic bottle •Small funnel •1/2 cup vinegar •Small balloon •Baking soda •One Teaspoon

Balloon fizz-inflator Instructions: Take the uninflated balloon and stretch it out a few times with your hands.

Place the funnel in the balloon opening and pour in enough baking soda to fill it halfway.

Remove the funnel.

Pour the vinegar slowly into the bottle.

Carefully pull the opening of the balloon over the opening of the bottle. Try not to let any baking soda fall into the bottle.

Lift the balloon up so that the baking soda falls through the opening into the bottle and mixes with the vinegar.

The combination of the baking soda and the vinegar creates a gas called carbon dioxide.

The gas expands, filling the bottle before moving into the balloon and inflating it.

Your balloon fizz-inflator is now operational.

Inflate a balloon with simple vinegar and baking soda and amaze your friends and family with this fun and easy kids’ science experiment. The balloon fizz-inflator is a great science project to teach kids about carbon dioxide. Watch our video to show you how to do it.

Remember kids, always get permission from your parents before you start.

It’s always a good idea to have a helper nearby.

Create Chinese paper lanterns Chinese paper lanterns are a Chinese New Year tradition, but kids can have fun making them at any time of year.

: d e d e e n s ie l p p u S • A4 sheet of card • Scissors • Stapler How to make it:

Step 1

Cut a 2cm strip off the short side of your paper and set it aside to use as a handle.

Fold the paper in half lengthwise.

Step 3

Step 2

Cut fringe-style incisions from the folded side and stopping 2cm away from the edge of the card.

Step 4

Open out the card.

Fold it so the two short sides of the paper come together and secure with a staple.

Step 6

Step 5

Fold the paper in half lengthwise.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

World wide weird Get your weekly dose of the unusual and funny from across the globe!

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Cool Dung!

Balancing act

Dung beetles eat feces. Everyone knows that. But here’s something you didn’t know: newly published research reveals that dung beetles can use spheres of rolled up poop as portable AC units.

The sands of the South African desert can exceed temperatures of 60 degrees Celsius, or 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

That’s ridiculously hot. In fact, for a dung beetle like Scarabaeus lamarcki — which transports its meal by rolling it into a ball and pushing it across the scorching desert landscape with its hind legs — it’s too hot, as demonstrated in a study by functional zoologist Jochen Smolka in the latest issue of Current Biology. Using infrared thermography and behavioral experiments, Smolka and his colleagues have shown that dung beetles use their poo-ball as “a mobile thermal refuge” — a portable evaporative unit that cools the beetle slightly as it rolls, and dramatically when it clambers on top of it. Bottom line, believe it or not but a beetle’s ball of dung helps keep it keep cool. SOURCE: IO9.COM

Want to host a dinner party for a 50 people without having to make a bazillion back and forth trips to the kitchen to carry the cutlery to the dining room? Philip Osenton is your man because this Brit has smashed the world record for the number of wine glasses held in one hand.

Philip Osenton, 43, a Beijing-based wine consultant, managed 51 glasses, surpassing the previous record of 39.

He says he learnt to carry a lot of glasses simultaneously while working as a sommelier, or wine steward, at London hotels such as the Ritz and the Savoy.

Mr Osenton said: “When I was head sommelier at the Ritz hotel, I’ve had a 140-cover restaurant to set up in the morning between breakfast and lunch. So basically, with two glasses per setting, I had to place 280 glasses in a very short amount of time.” SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

Super Great Toilet Keeper Want to be a part of the action in a game of football, rather than being pushed aside as the goalkeeper?

Well, two Japanese firms have teamed up to create the perfect solution — a toilet that doubles as a goalkeeper.

The Super Great Toiler Keeper showed off its prowess by saving penalties from Japanese star striker Tatsuhiko Kubo. It uses motion-detecting cameras to calculate the flight of the ball, pivot on its axis, and fire a small ball from the bowl to deflect the incoming soccer ball.

The bizarre invention is the unlikely result of two Japanese companies with similar names and vastly different products, joining forces. Toilet maker Toto and sports lottery agent Toto pitched their collaboration as an environmentally friendly project. SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

Scare away the calories

Get a-head Want to give someone a real scare this Halloween? Watch the video of this Californian magician who is shocking passers-by with his head dropping Halloween trick.

The clip of Rich Ferguson performing his ‘head drop trick’ on the streets of his home town San Luis Obispo has notched up more than 3.3 million hits.

Mr Ferguson said: “My favourite reaction is when people scream and run away, especially when they are tough looking guys. Night time causes much better reactions. It’s due to people being in a state of vulnerability.”

Naturally, he won’t reveal how it’s done but adds that a good Halloween trick doesn’t have to be complicated.

“There’s nothing more fun and simple than a large spider hanging from a string in a tree,” he quips.

SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

You can kiss those long hours of sweaty workout in the gym goodbye now because new research has revealed that you could burn off the equivalent of a bar of chocolate in calories by simply watching a horror film.

Viewers who put themselves through 90 minutes of adrenalinepumping terror can use up as much as 113 calories, close to the amount burned during a half-hour walk and the equivalent to a chocolate bar.

The movie top of the list of calorieburners was found to be the 1980 psychological thriller The Shining, with the average viewer using up a whopping 184 calories. Jaws took the runner-up spot, with viewers burning on average 161 calories, and The Exorcist came third, with 158 calories.

The University of Westminster study measured the total energy expenditure of ten different people as they watched a selection of frightening movies. Scientists recorded their heart rate, oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output — and discovered the number of calories used increased by on average a third during the films.

The research also revealed films featuring moments designed to make viewers jump in terror are the best calorie-burners, as they cause heart rates to soar.

Dr Richard Mackenzie, of the University of Westminster, said: “Each of the ten films tested set pulses racing, sparking an increase in the heart rate of the case studies. As the pulse quickens and blood pumps around the body faster, the body experiences a surge in adrenaline. It is this release of fast acting adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or in this case, brought on by fear), which is known to lower the appetite, increase the Basal Metabolic Rate and ultimately burn a higher level of calories.” SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

Meet Timba!

Most people would be terrified to find a lion snoozing in their bed. But for guest house owner Annel Snyman, snuggling up to Timba the white lion cub in her home is part of her daily routine — just like walking the dog.

Annel shares her home near Bela Bela in the Waterberg region of South Africa with the eight-month-old friendly feline. She says the cub is house-trained and likes to help himself to food from her kitchen and helping out with household chores.

Timba, who could reach 180 to 225kg when he is fully grown, happily joins Annel’s dog Diesel on his walks.

Annel’s friends and family are now used to her unconventional house guest, while the neighbours are amazed by the spectacle of a white lion and woman living side-by-side.

Annel’s move into animal adoption began six years ago when her parents helped her to open Loebies Guestfarm on her land. Since 2009, fearless Annel has hand-reared a cheetah cub, five lions, a white lion, a leopard and six Serval kittens — a medium-sized African wild cat.

She said: “While most people are amazed, this has become my life and part of who I am. There are times when it is difficult to do day-to-day things but I do manage to live a normal life — well normal for me anyway.” SOURCE: WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

Did you know?

6

s n i g i r O d r o W OMG As you must all know, “OMG” means “Oh my God!” It is usually pronounced as “ohemgee”.

Did you know that the term “OMG” is was created almost a hundred years ago? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first person to use “OMG” was a 75-year-old British admiral! His name was John Arbuthnot “Jacky” Fisher, and he thought up the term while writing his autobiography in 1917!

The exact phrase was: “I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapia — O.M.G (Oh! My God!) — Shower it on the Admiralty!”. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense that someone in the navy would create something like this: In the days before the internet and mobile phones, ships’ primarily communicated through Morse code. Navy men were used to abbreviations, and thus likely to come up with some of their own.

How to say 'Excuse me' in different languages?

Afrikaans

:

Verskoon my! Ekskuus!

Albanian

:

Më fal!

Assamese

:

khyoma koribo

Belarusian

:

Daruytsye

Bengali

:

Shunun

Bhojpuri

:

Maf kara

Catalan

:

Dispensi! Perdoni! Cantonese chengmahn

French

:

Excusez-moi!

German

:

Entschuldigen Sie!

Hawaiian

:

E kala mai iau!

Indonesian

:

Maafkan saya

Italian

:

Scusa!

Japanese

:

Sumimasen

Korean

:

Shillehagessumnida

Malay

:

Tumpang lalu

Nepali

:

Maapha ganus

Persian

:

Mazerat mikham

Portuguese

:

Por favor!

Scots

:

Ho ye!

Cool facts The very first bomb that the Allies dropped on Berlin in WW2 hit an elephant.

A moth has no stomach.

Reindeer milk has more fat than cow milk.

An elephant can smell water up to 3 miles away.

Deer can’t eat hay.

A skunk will not bite and throw its scent at the same time.

Every day of the year, 100 whales are killed by whale fisherman.

If you cut off a snail’s eye, it will grow a new one.

The ostrich has two toes on each foot which gives it greater speed.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

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Fun & games

Want to be hi five’s artist of the week?

Send your drawing with your name and age to: hifive@tribune. com.pk

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

Can you solve the maze?

Start

SOURCE: PRINTACTIVITIES.COM

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