WTF Fun Fact 13538 – Michel Lotito

Michel Lotito, known as ‘Monsieur Mangetout’ (Mr. Eat All), was not your average eater. His diet included items that most would consider inedible: metal, rubber, and glass.

Lotito’s extraordinary consumption habits earned him a place in the Guinness World Record for the world’s strangest diet. Among his most remarkable feats was eating an entire airplane, along with bicycles, razor blades, and more.

The Method Behind the Madness

Born in 1950 and passing away in 2007, Lotito’s unique eating habits began in his teenage years. He discovered his ability to consume non-food items and developed a taste for them.

To prepare these items for consumption, he cut them into bite-sized pieces using an electric power saw. He swallowed these pieces whole, like a pill, aided by mineral oil and water to lubricate the process. Surprisingly, he managed to excrete these materials without significant problems.

Lotito’s preparations for consuming such bizarre items were meticulous. He had an incredibly high pain threshold, which he attributed to practicing sophrology, a form of self-hypnosis and relaxation. His first experience with eating glass at the age of 16 led him to explore other inedible objects.

What started as a simple party trick evolved into a lucrative career. Lotito performed in various shows, displaying his unique talent. He could consume items like bicycles, which he would eat over several days, and even razor blades, plates, and metal pieces.

The Anatomy of Michel Lotito

Lotito’s unusual diet is attributed to pica, a psychological disorder characterized by eating things that are not food. However, Lotito believed his physical makeup played a significant role in his dietary choices. He claimed to have incredibly strong teeth and powerful gastric juices that could melt metal.

Despite his unique ability, soft foods like bananas and hard-boiled eggs caused him discomfort. While there were doubts about whether his body was genuinely different from an ordinary person’s, his long-term doctor expressed concerns about the impact of his diet on his health.

Legacy of an Extraordinary Eater

Monsieur Mangetout’s diet remained a fascinating and cautionary tale. He passed away in 2007 due to natural causes. The extent to which his diet influenced his health or his death remains a mystery.

Over 15 years after his passing, Michel Lotito’s story continues to intrigue and caution new generations. As a performer, entertainer, and record-breaker, his legacy as a truly one-of-a-kind individual lives on.

Michel Lotito’s story is a testament to the incredible adaptability and resilience of the human body. His ability to consume what most would find inconceivable not only challenged our understanding of what is possible but also provided a unique perspective on the human experience. Whether it was his mental fortitude or a unique physiological makeup, Monsieur Mangetout’s life remains a fascinating chapter in the annals of extraordinary human behaviors.

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Source: “The man who ate metal: Monsieur Mangetout’s strange diet” — Guinness Book of World Records

WTF Fun Fact 13538 – The Power of Smelling Coffee

Do you perk up in the morning after smelling coffee? Maybe you start to feel it working even before you’ve had a sip. Or perhaps you do some of your best work at the coffee shop when you can smell those invigorating beans all day.

Well, that makes sense!

Coffee’s Olfactory Power

Many of us start our day with the intoxicating aroma of coffee. But there’s more to this scent than just an olfactory delight. In 2008, a group of researchers led by scientist Han-Seok Seo looked into the science behind this phenomenon. Their findings reveal that coffee’s aroma doesn’t just wake up the senses but might also rejuvenate the brain.

Smelling Coffee vs. Sleep Deprivation and Stress

Lack of sleep stresses the body and mind. Sleep-deprived individuals often grapple with cognitive and physical health challenges.

Given these effects, Seo’s team wondered if coffee’s aroma could counteract the negative impacts of sleep deprivation. Their subject of choice for this exploration? Laboratory rats.

The team exposed both well-rested and sleep-deprived rats to the scent of coffee. They then examined gene and protein expressions in the brains of these rats. The results were astonishing.

Rats exposed to the coffee aroma showed varied activity in 17 genes. Out of these, 13 exhibited different mRNA expressions when comparing the sleep-deprived group to the group that inhaled coffee while sleep-deprived.

Translating Science: What it Means for Us

In simple terms, inhaling coffee aroma seemed to recalibrate the brain’s workings. It potentially offsets the harmful impacts of sleep deprivation.

Among the impacted genes, some are linked to proteins with antioxidant properties. These antioxidants help protect nerve cells from stress-induced damage.

So, the smell of coffee might do more than just perk us up; it could protect our brain cells from stress-related harm.

The Power of Smelling Coffee Goes Beyond Coffee

Seo’s groundbreaking findings pave the way for more questions. If the aroma of coffee yields such benefits, what about other scents? Could the whiff of freshly baked bread or the scent of rain bring their own set of health benefits?

Next time the weight of sleeplessness bears down on you, remember the power of scent. As you pass a café or brew your morning cup, take a moment to inhale deeply. Behind that sense of alertness and the smile that follows lies a fascinating dance of molecules and biology.

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Source: “Coffee’s Aroma Kick-starts Genes In The Brain” — Science Daily