CULTURAL QA 09-2023-20A

All the below  QA are from Quora DIGESTto me  on   20-09-2023.

Quora answers need not be 100% correct answers.

Compiled andposted by R. Gopala Krishnan, 79,  on 20-09-2023.

 

Q1         What are some mind-blowing facts aboutfood?

A1          Jerry N., Studied Biology & Psychology(Graduated 2017) Sun

Here are some  facts about food:

The world's hottest chili pepper isthe Carolina Reaper,with an average Scoville 
Heat Unit (SHU) rating of over 1.6 million. It's so hot that it can causesevere 
reactions, including nausea and vomiting, if consumed in largequantities.

Honeynever spoils. Archaeologists have even found pots of honey in ancient 
Egyptiantombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible.

Some mushrooms are bioluminescent,meaning they can glow in the dark.The most 
famous example is the "jack-o'-lantern" mushroom, whichemits a faint greenish 
glow.

The world's most expensive coffee, calledKopi Luwak, is made from beans that 
have been eaten and then excreted by acivet, a small mammal found in Southeast 
Asia. The beans undergo a unique fermentationprocess in the civet's digestive 
system, which is said to give the coffee aunique flavor.

Thespice saffron is derived from the crocus flower and is one of the 
mostexpensive spices in the world. Ittakes around 150,000 flowers to produce 
just one kilogram of saffron.

Bananasare berries, while strawberries are not. In botanical terms, a berry is 
definedas a fruit produced from the ovary of a single flower with seeds 
embedded inthe flesh. Bananas fit this definition, while strawberries develop 
from aflower with multiple ovaries.

In 1830, tomatoes were widelyconsidered poisonous in the United States and 
weregrown solely for ornamental purposes. It wasn't until the 19th century that 
they gainedpopularity as a food.

The world's most massive fruit is thejackfruit, whichcan weigh up to 80 pounds 
(36 kilograms). It's often used as a meatsubstitute in vegetarian and vegan 
dishes due to its meaty texture.

Mynote- During season jack fruit ripen is served after taking out the seeds in 
srardha in central Kerala.

Q2         Has history ever been changed by aninvoluntary body function?

A2         BATMAN,Unofficial Historian Sat

Adolf Hitler's mental state was alreadydeeply troubled, but hishealth issues 
further exacerbated his condition, as indicated by his ownrecords. 

Heresorted to self-medicating with a mixture containingstrychnine and atropine 
to alleviate persistent stomach problems.

Dawson,a historian, notes that Hitler experienced uncontrollable flatulence, 
whichbecame particularly severe in 1936, leading to agonizing episodes of 
screaming.

Inan attempt to find relief, Hitler sought the assistance of a Berlin 
doctornamed Theodor Morell, who prescribed Dr. Koester's anti-gas tablets. 
Thesetablets contained toxins, but the dosage was not immediately lethal, 
unlikeHitler's previous remedy, which included machine oil. By early 1941, as 
WorldWar II escalated, Hitler was consuming a staggering 120 to 150 tablets 
weekly.

Strychnine and atropine, components ofthese tablets, are known to have legal 
and psychological effects, including impacts on sleep and emotionalwell-being. 
The exact role of Hitler's medication in the events of World War IIand the 
Holocaust remains a subject of speculation. However, the revelation ofthe 
tablet's effects, just six months before Hitler'sdeteriorating mental state led 
to his suicide in the bunker, resulted inMorell's dismissal. Remarkably, Morell 
managed to evade consequences forhis role in Hitler's health struggles.

Ironically, Hitler's dietary choices,including his vegetarianism, arebelieved 
to have contributed to his digestive issues, ultimately leading to hisreliance 
on medication for relief.

Q3         What is the smallest organ system inhumans?

A3         Ken Saladin, Former professor ofhistology (microscopic 
anatomy)Updated Sep 9

That’san intriguing thought question.

Theseare the only organ systems in humans, so it comes down to one of 
these:integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, 
lymphoid(lymphatic), respiratory, urinary, digestive, or reproductive (male 
andfemale).

I think by weight, I would go witheither the urinaryor male reproductive 
system. Endocrine system might seem to some like a logicalchoice, but if we 
define this as consisting of all the organs that secretehormones, we 
immediately have to rule it out—because every organ system of thebody produces 
hormones. Technically, all the bones, muscles, digestive tract,brain, and 
everything else can be considered part of the endocrine system. Itdoesn’t seem 
logical, but if we tried to exclude those, then we’d have an evenharder time 
defining what we mean by the term “endocrine system.” 

One might think the lymphoid system tobe the least of these in weight, but I 
think the lymphoid organs, added up, might come to more thanthe urinary or 
repoductive system. It’s hard to say because the lymphoid systemincludes not 
only conspicuous organs like the spleen, thymus, and tonsils, butinnumerable 
lymphatic vessels and 400–450 lymph nodes scattered all through thebody.

UPDATE:

Yesterday I had lunch with a fellowhistology professor (who took over my job in 
that course) and raised thisquestion. I didnot tell him what I’d answered here 
or otherwise suggest anything. He thoughtabout it for quite a while and he also 
came up with the male reproductive system as probably thesmallest.

My note- how humble is Prof-Ken Saladin!!

Q4         How do people die of old age? Whatactually causes "death from old 
age"?

A4         Priscilla Sanders, Works at Amy Speech& Language Therapy Sep 13

If youdo not take disease, accidents, or other unnatural influences 
intoconsideration, death by old age will usually occur when the body systems 
beganto shut down from age. 

Thesecould be the Respiratory System, The Circulatory System, The Urinary 
System,The Lymphatic System, or any interdiction of these systems by a 
secondaryeffect from disease.

Q5         Can you describe the structure andfunction of the human skeletal 
system?

A5         Ken Saladin, Former professor ofhistology (microscopic anatomy) Sep 
13

Yes of course, but it takes me threebook chapters and 81illustrations, not 
counting a chapter just on the physiology of bone tissue, soI’m not going to do 
it here.

Here’sa short rundown of its functions, though.

 



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