What Happens if You Are Struck by Lightning?

Lightning strikes somewhere on the earth  around 100 times a second which adds up to around 3 billion times a year. Statistically speaking, if you live in the US you have a 1 in 100,000 chance to get hit by lightning in a single year, and a 1 in 3,000 in your entire lifetime. Of course, your actual chances are determined on by where you live and what your habits are. For example, if you like to hold golf clubs above your head on top of the Empire State Building during a lightning storm, chances are you are stupid. But would happen if you got hit by lightning?

 

There are two different types of lightning strikes: direct and indirect. Direct lightning strikes would be, for example, when Zeus hits you on top of the head with a lightning bolt. Indirect lightning strikes are when lightning strikes the ground next to you or hits a tree near you. Most lightning strike survivors were hit by indirect strikes since the chances of getting hit directly are very, very small. 

If your assuming that a lightning strike will hurt you, you are wrong. It will hurt a lot. One lightning bolt contains over 300 KV of electricity and can super heat the air around it to over 27,000 degress Celsius which is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun. So, what happens to you when the fire of 5 suns hits you on the head? 

Well, the worst case scenario is you die, but assuming you do survive, which 70-90% of people do survive, a number of things can happen to you. Assuming that it doesn't cook your brain, you can experience the following: your clothes being shredded or catching on fire, severe burns, your shoes will most likely fly off, permanent numbness, inability to feel different temperatures, partial paralysis, muscle twitches and Lictenberg scars. For those of you who don't know, Lictenberg scars are probably the sickest scar you could ever get. They happen when blood vessels in your skin burst underneath your skin, and the most interesting thing is that they scar actually looks like lightning as seen below.

   

The trauma of being hit by lightning also does produce some long-term effects for some victims such as memory loss, sleep disorders, tremors, loss of balance, intense headaches, chronic irritability, and depression. Due to the rarity of lightning strikes, doctors do not fully yet know how to treat the victims of these ordeals so suicide rates for lightning strike victims are usually very high. So, lesson of the story, don't go to the Empire State with a golf club in your hand.

Sources: 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/theprotojournalist/2013/07/17/200140433/the-randomness-of-lightning-fatalities-a-mapstory?utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130717

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120926-what-causes-lightening/2

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/dispatches/2005/06/dont_stand_by_me.html

http://mddirect.org/2012/08/06/when-lightning-strikes/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/05/08/ten-shocking-things-that-can-happen-if-you-are-struck-by-lightning/

Oxygen is Killing You

Ahhhh, breathe in that fresh air. Doesn't that feel great? Everybody knows that you need air to survive, however, it is also killing you.

Currently, our atmosphere is made up of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gases such as argon and carbon dioxide. However, every living thing on the planet needs that 20% of oxygen to survive. Oxygen is extracted from the air in our lungs which is then carried to our cells in the process of cellular respiration. This is how our body changes the food that we eat into the energy our cells need to do what they do. Unfortunately, oxygen also has a dangerous side. If you have ever seen how an apple turns brown after being left alone outside for too long or if you have seen rust, then you have seen the effects of oxygen.

This is what happens when oxygen mixes with the metals or apple flesh and breaks down the molecules in a process called oxidation. You see, oxygen is a greedy little atom that follows the octet rule. This means that the atom wants 8 electrons, but, the problem is, oxygen only has 6. Usually the oxygen atom will pair with two hydrogen atoms and make H2O, which is water. However, sometimes, the oxygen atom may only pair up with one hydrogen atom, which means that it only has 7 electrons. This makes the oxygen atom very chemically reactive to almost every substance. The oxygen atom is then called a free radical. It will try to pair up with the fats in your skin, the proteins in your cells, and even your DNA. When it does this, the free radical will change the chemical composition of these molecules, and, in most cases, damaging them. 

Pretty much, oxygen is rusting you from the inside out. The term for the wear and tear of cells by free radicals is called oxidative stress. Some scientist think this an important factor in our bodies aging. Fortunately for us, our body has developed ways to keep oxidative stress to a minimum by producing antioxidants, hence the name. These antioxidants help protect our bodies by bonding to the free radicals so that those free radical will not have to tear apart your cells. In a way, these antioxidant molecules sacrifice themselves for the good of your body. So remember, every time you take a deep breath, you are keeping yourself alive, but at the same time killing yourself.

Sources:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-oxidation.htm

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19426012.000-oxygen--the-breath-of-life.html

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/misc_topics/radicals.html

What If Superman Punched You?

What would happen if the person who can lift 200 quintillion tons with one hand, punch dimensions apart, and power the sun were to punch you?

We all know how strong Superman is, but let us put it in scientific terms. In many comic books it has been mentioned that Superman can travel faster than the speed of light. Unfortunately, this can not be because that would break on of the universal laws of physics. However, we will allow Superman to travel 99% the speed of light (296,794,533 meters per second). 

If we assume that Superman's fist weighs an average of 300 grams and that his fist is traveling at 99% the speed of light, the energy produced from that punch would be 2800 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Now, you, practically, have the world's most powerful bomb, condensed into a fist, and aimed at your face. What happens when he touches you?

This is when things begin to get incredibly awesome, and, also, very hot. The energy released from that punch would create a temperature of 80 trillion Kelvin, or 15 million times hotter than the core of our sun. In addition, since the punch is traveling at you at near the speed of light, your eyes would not have enough time to tell your brain that there was a fist coming at your face. In other words, you would, literally, not see it coming. 

Now, we talk about your fate. Once the punch lands on your face, the biggest explosion the world has ever seen would follow, creating a crater over 200 feet deep and 1 kilometer in diameter. The atoms in your body would be pulverized. Furthermore, the blast wave from the explosion would flatten half of Southern California. So, in the end, don't get Superman mad. 

Sources:
http://goo.gl/qBltO
http://goo.gl/KoMdU
http://goo.gl/FPGjW

Why Do Cats Purr?

Have you ever been in bed, and your little furry cat crawls up on your chest and starts purring? And you get mad because you have to wake up early, but also at the same time you are," Aww this is so cute, my cat actually wants to spend time with me." Don't be fooled. Cats can purr for many reasons. They do not only purr when they are happy but also when they are in pain, giving birth, and even dying.

So, what is a purr? A purr is a sound, most commonly associated with the smaller members of the feline family, which happens when the feline vibrates muscles in their larynx and diaphragm. In addition with purring, cats make a lot of noises which is the widely known meow. The meow can mean a whole variety of things and all depends on the volume and tone of the meow. However, purrs are different. Purrs not only communicate that they are happy, it also is a from a self medication. In the late 1950's, Dr. Clinton Rubin and his colleagues discovered that low-level frequencies helps build bone density. These frequencies are between 50-150 hertz which, also coincidentally, is the same frequencies that an average purr is.

So, purring is not only for the cat to say he is happy but it is also a way for the cat to heal himself and stay healthy. Let's face it, cats are kind of lazy, and purring may just be a way for them to burn calories with them not actually having to get up and move.

Sources: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-cats-purr

Is it Better to Run or Walk in the Rain?

Have you ever had one of those days when the weather forecast says," Don't worry guys, there is no chance of it raining today.", and then you go about your day and it begins to rain? Unfortunately, you do not have an umbrella or anything to keep you dry, and to make matters worse you are not at your house yet. So, is it better to walk in the rain or run? If you walk, you will only get hit with rain from on top, but it will take you longer to get to your destination. On the other hand, if you run, it will take you less time to get to your destination, but you will get hit with water from the side. So, which one is better? If we assume that you are not completely soaked already and you aren't jumping into puddles, then the answer is relatively simple.

If you are walking, for every drop you avoid with a step, you step into another rain drop. So, when you are walking, you will receive the same amount of rain on your head as if you were standing still. However, if you want to get to your house, you need to be moving so you will most likely not stand still. If you run, you will be hit by rain from the top but you will also be hit from rain by the side. This practically means that your total wetness is equal to the how much rain falls on your head per second times the time spent in the rain plus the how much rain hits you on the side per meter times how many meters you travel.

So, if you want to stay as dry as possible you have to minimize the amount of water falling on your head. In other words, try to get out of the rain as fast as possible.

sources and photo creds: MinutePhysics 

http://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics

Does it Make Sense to Eat Yourself?

In the year 1847, 89 pioneers left Springfield, Illinois to move to California, only 45 made it to California. This is the story of the Donner Party. The Donner party has been ingrained as a taboo of human history. Reportedly, the party attempted to arrive at California through a shortcut and due to several delays, arrived at the Wasatch mountains during the winter. Heavy snowstorms caused them to camp out in the mountains, and when they ran out of food, reportedly, they cannibalized each other. Now, let us assume you are in a similar situation. You are trapped in a snowstorm and you have plenty of snow to drink, however, you do not have any food. Does it make sense to eat yourself?

It makes sense, you have one less limb to supply energy for, and also it gives you something to eat. However, the answer is no. The physical trauma that your body would experience with the loss of a limb would greatly cancel out the energy you get from eating your leg for example. This is because your body will try to repair the leg that you had just amputated, which will consume more energy than your body will get from eating you leg. Your body can store more energy in your leg, than your food can digest. So, if you ever are trapped in a snowstorm and you do not have any food, just keep yourself together.

Sources:
http://www.history.com/topics/donner-party
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/cannibalism_n_1501513.html

What if the Sun Disappeared?

What would happen to the earth if the sun disappeared?

Well, just to comfort you guys, the sun is not going to disappear anytime soon. It has enough fuel to keep it running for a couple of billion years. However, let us just say that it did. What will the earth do? What can it do?

At the exact moment that the sun disappeared, we would not know. This is because it takes 8 minutes for the light of the sun to reach us. So, for the first eight minutes of the sun being gone, we would still have light coming from the sun, in a way. Once we do realize that the sun is gone, there would be confusion and mass hysteria across the globe. People would riot against there governments, but what would they be rioting for? The most likely answer for that would be food. Photosynthesis in plants would cease immediately after sun stop hitting their leaves. 99.9% of the productivity on earth, is done by plants. Without the sun, plants would not be able to inhale carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen. In other words, they would all die. Now, I know what you are thinking. If the plants all die, won't we run out of oxygen? The answer is no. Collectively, all humans on earth breath in 6 trillion kilos of oxygen a year, but our atmosphere contains 1 quintillion ( 1 followed by 18 zeros) kilos of oxygen. So, if you include all the humans and animals on the planet, we will still have enough oxygen to last us thousands of years.

Really, the only problem humans would have, would be the temperature. After 1 week, without the sun, the average surface temperature on the earth would be 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or freezing. Now, these temperatures happen all the time and, us, humans can wear coats. The break down of civil order, panic, hysteria, and looters aside, we would be okay for the first couple of months. However, after the first year on earth without the sun, the average surface temperature on earth will have reached -100 degrees Fahrenheit. The only real option humanity would have would be to move to geothermic locations, like Yosemite, and pitch tents next to the geysers. Now we have to accept the facts, after 2-3 years without the sun, all humanity would have died, and including that, the oceans will have completely frozen over.

Fortunately, ice floats, so there would still be liquid water underneath the surface of the ice. The water at the bottom of the ocean would be warm with super-heated water spewed out of vents coming out of the earth's interior. Extremophiles would survive, like they do now, on chemo synthesis. Using the methane and sulfur coming out of the vents to create energy, these microorganisms would be able to survive for billions of years. So, even without the sun, Earth will still have a little glimmer of life for a very, very long time.

Sources:
http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/breathable-oxygen-gas-atmosphere/
http://io9.com/what-would-happen-if-the-sun-just-disappeared-464769645
http://space.about.com/od/astronomybasics/f/sungone.htm

How Much Does the Internet Weigh?

How much does the internet weigh? Well, what does that mean? How do you measure information?

Well, we know that information is comprised of binary code. Binary code only exists because electrons activate transistors in chips, and electrons have mass, albeit very small. In the world right now, there are around 75-100 million servers keeping the internet running and combined they use up to 40 billion watts of electricity. One watt is 10 to the 18th electrons per second, so we can calculate that the internet is around 50 grams of electrons in motion. However, things get more interesting and complicated.

The horrendous math that we just did only accounts for the information stored in internet servers around the world, but how much does all the information on the internet weigh? Eric Schimdt, then CEO of Google, estimated that the internet has over 5 million terabytes of information. For those of you who do not know, 1 terabyte is equal to 1000 gigabytes. Now we have a number to work with. We know how many electrons there are in a byte and how much an electron weighs, so ,with a lot of math, we can calculate that the internet weighs about .2 millionths of an ounce. If you can't comprehend how small that number is, think of it like this, every email you have ever sent, every comment you have commented, and every article you have ever read, including this one, has the same weight as the smallest possible grain of sand.