facts about the human body

WTF Fun Fact 13742 – Humming While Holding Your Nose

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Ever tried humming while holding your nose? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work, and here’s why.

The Mechanics of Humming While Holding Your Nose

Humming involves sound produced by vocal fold vibrations in your throat. Normally, when you hum, the sound exits through your nose. Yes, your nose is more than just a place to hang glasses or catch a cold; it’s a vital part of your vocal instrument.

When you hum, your mouth stays closed, so the only exit route for the air is through your nasal passages. This airflow through the nose helps to amplify and modify the sound, creating that familiar humming tone.

What Happens When Try Humming While Holding Your Nose

So, what goes down when you clamp shut your nostrils? Simply put, you block the only air escape route. When your nose is pinched shut, the air that vibrates in your vocal cords can’t escape your body easily. This disruption stops the sound from developing into a hum.

Trying to hum with your nose closed might make you feel a bit silly as you realize no sound comes out. Instead, you might just hear a muffled, nasal sound or nothing at all. It turns out that your body can’t outsmart the basics of sound physics, no matter how hard you try.

A Dive into the Science of Sound

Humming is a demonstration of sound waves being carried through air. When these waves have a clear path to travel, you hear the hum loud and clear. Block that path, and the sound waves get stifled. This is basic physics in action, showing how sound transmission needs a medium (like air) to travel effectively.

When you hold your nose and attempt to hum, you’re essentially trapping the sound waves in your head. Since they can’t escape or be properly projected, the humming just doesn’t happen.

Fun Experiments and Party Tricks

Next time you’re at a party and run out of small talk, why not pull out the “try to hum with your nose pinched” challenge? It’s a fun, quirky trick that can break the ice and spark a conversation about the weird and wonderful ways our bodies work.

Humming with your nose pinched is one of those things that sounds like it might be possible until you actually try it. It’s a neat demonstration of how interconnected our bodily functions are—even something as simple as humming involves multiple parts of our respiratory and vocal systems.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “WHY IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HUM WHEN HOLDING YOUR NOSE” — Grunge

WTF Fun Fact 13355 – Importance of Your Stomach Lining

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The mucus in your stomach lining is the unsung hero of your digestive system.

Have you ever wondered why the stomach can digest the things you consume but stops short of digesting itself?

The role of your stomach lining

Mucus may not be something you think about often, but it plays a vital role in our digestive system. And it’s particularly important in the stomach. The mucus lining in our stomach is essential for protecting its delicate tissues from the harsh acidic environment needed to digest food.

Obviously, our stomachs are responsible for breaking down the food we eat. This process involves hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes, which work together to break down proteins and other food components.

These acids and enzymes are necessary for digestion, but they can also pose a risk to the stomach’s tissues.

And that’s where the stomach lining comes in. If it weren’t for that protective mucus layer, the stomach’s corrosive contents could cause real damage.

The Role of Mucus in Protecting the Stomach

The mucus lining in the stomach acts as a barrier, separating the stomach’s tissues from its acidic environment. It’s made up of water, electrolytes, and glycoproteins, which together form a thick, slippery substance. This mucus coating allows the stomach to carry out its digestive functions without harming its own tissues.

In addition to serving as a physical barrier, the mucus lining also contains substances called bicarbonates, which help neutralize the stomach’s acids. This neutralizing effect further protects the stomach lining from potential damage.

Maintaining a healthy mucus lining

A well-functioning mucus lining is essential for maintaining a healthy stomach. Several factors can contribute to a weakened or damaged mucus lining. These include stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and certain medications – even common ones like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

A healthy mucus lining requires a balanced diet and habits that promote overall digestive health. Eating foods rich in fiber, staying well-hydrated, and managing stress can all contribute to a healthy digestive system.

This allows your stomach mucus to create a barrier between the stomach lining and the acidic environment, preventing the stomach from “digesting itself.”

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Watch: Episode 3: Why doesn’t your stomach digest itself?” — STAT News

WTF Fun Fact 13258 – The Role of Gut Bacteria

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We don’t yet know all the details of the role of gut bacteria in our minds and bodies. But research keeps suggesting that these bacteria are plentiful and influential on everything from our moods to our cravings.

What is the gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome refers to the diverse community of microorganisms that live in the human digestive tract, particularly in the large intestine. It includes:

  • bacteria
  • viruses
  • fungi
  • other microbes.

These microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the digestive system and the body as a whole.

The gut microbiota is estimated to contain over 100 trillion microorganisms. These microorganisms perform a range of important functions. Some break down complex carbohydrates and other nutrients, producing vitamins and other essential compounds. Others help regulate the immune system and protect against harmful pathogens. The composition of the gut microbiota can vary based on diet, age, medication use, and environmental exposures.

Research has linked imbalances in the gut microbiota to a range of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and mental health issues.

The role of gut bacteria in eating?

There is growing evidence to suggest that gut microbiota may influence

  • our brain function and behavior
  • our mood
  • anxiety
  • cognition
  • appetite
  • food cravings and preferences

Gut bacteria are known to produce neurotransmitters and other signaling molecules that can affect appetite and food preferences. They can also influence the way that the body processes and stores nutrients.

Some types of gut bacteria have been shown to produce compounds that stimulate the release of hormones like leptin and ghrelin which control appetite. Other types of bacteria can regulate the release of appetite-regulating hormones and promote feelings of fullness and satiety.

Gut microbiota may also affect food preferences and taste perception. For example, people with a high ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes bacteria in their gut often prefer high-fat and high-sugar foods. These, in turn, contribute to weight gain and other health problems.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms” — Bioassays (Academic Journal)