Trivia

We see objects in a mirror, because a mirror, when hit by particles of light called photons, reflects the photons back to us and some reach, and enter, our eyes. Photons that hit a rough surface will bounce off of the surface in a haphazard manner, while those that hit a smooth surface, such as a mirror, only bounce off of the surface at the same angle at which they hit the object. The scientific term for this phenomenon is reflection.

Not all smooth surfaces reflect photons back to us, even though, technically, they should bounce back at the same angle at which they hit the surface. This exception to the rule results, because some smooth surfaces absorb the light particles hitting them, making it impossible for them to bounce back.

Another apparent exception to this rule is that, although our bodies are rough, uneven surfaces, off of which light bounces at random angles, our images reflect off of a mirror. The reason for this apparent contradiction is simply that when we stand in front of a mirror, some, but not all, of the light particles bouncing off of us will hit the smooth surface of the mirror. The ones that do reflect our images back to our eyes at exactly the same angle at which they hit the mirror.

In other words, photons that bounce off of any part of our bodies and hit the mirror reflect back to our eyes from only one place on the mirror, and at only one angle. It follows that each point on our bodies that reflects back to our eyes from one point on the mirror produces an image in the mirror. All of the images together make up our reflections, like it or not. And remember that mirrors don't lie!

The first manned spacecraft to be launched was the Soviet’s Vostok 1, which left Earth in 1961.

First manned spaceflight, one orbit of the earth. 11 April 1961 was a 'reserve' day in the launch plan, but it was not needed. All the Chief Designers and Military Space chiefs were at the cosmodrome. Gagarin spent that day in meetings with the prominent personalities.

Three press releases were prepared, one for success, two for failures. It was only known ten minutes after burnout, 25 minutes after launch, if a stable orbit had been achieved.

The payload included life-support equipment and radio and television to relay information on the condition of the pilot. The flight was automated; Gagarin's controls were locked to prevent him from taking control of the ship. A key was available in a sealed envelope in case it became necessary to take control in an emergency. After retrofire, the service module remained attached to the Sharik reentry sphere by a wire bundle. The joined craft went through wild gyrations at the beginning of reentry, before the wires burned through. The Sharik, as it was designed to do, then naturally reached aerodynamic equilibrium with the reentry shield positioned correctly.

Gagarin ejected after reentry and descended under his own parachute, as was planned. However for many years the Soviet Union denied this, because the flight would not have been recognized for various FAI world records unless the pilot had accompanied his craft to a landing. Recovered April 12, 1961 8:05 GMT. Landed Southwest of Engels Smelovka, Saratov.

Do a deep knee bend, and it's very likely you'll hear popping sounds coming from your knee joints. There are also popping sounds when you "crack your knuckles."

What causes the popping sounds? Actually, two separate and distinct sources are responsible for the familiar popping sounds our joints emit.

The sound heard when our knuckles crack, results when a finger joint is extended almost to the end of its range. The joint, surrounded by a lubricating fluid, is encased in a capsule. At times, we intentionally, or unintentionally, extend the joint so far that the gas dissolved in the fluid spontaneously separates from the solution, forming a small bubble, and making a cracking sound. Not until the fluid reabsorbs the gas can the sound be reproduced. Whether or not there is truth to the old wives tale, that cracking ones knuckles enlarges them, remains open to debate.

On the other hand, the sound produced when we do deep-knee bends, is a snapping sound, produced when our tendons, which are merely the fibers that connect muscles and bones, elastically snap into new positions as our joints move under stress. Because the tendons shift back and forth with the movement of the joint, there is no waiting time before this snapping sound can be reproduced.

It's not your fault if you have bad breath.

In fact, most people with halitosis are so concerned about it that they tend to have far better oral hygiene practices than the average person.

According to the most current research, over 90 percent of all cases of chronic bad breath originate in the mouth, NOT in the stomach, sinuses, or lungs. Virtually all cases of bad breath are caused by Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs). One compound is hydrogen sulfide (the rotten egg smell) and another is methyl mercaptan (the essence of skunk oil).

The source of these compounds is bacteria in the mouth breaking down the cell wall of dead cells. These anaerobic bacteria collect and multiply mainly on the tongue. They thrive in a dry, dark environment such as under the gums, the spaces between the teeth, and the crevices of the tongue.

A person's diet can cause bad breath, because certain foods can trigger a substantial increase of anaerobic bacteria that produce VSCs. Coffee, an integral part of our society, contains acids that decrease oxygenation of the mouth, which, in turn, increases bacteria production. Dairy products, the focus of a recent media blitz promoting healthy eating habits, are high in proteins that the bacteria break down to create the VSCs. Sugar containing mints and chewing gum also produce VSCs, when the anaerobic bacteria break them down. Spicy foods and onions contain sulfur byproducts that are absorbed into the blood stream, and are expelled by the lungs. Additionally, alcohol-containing mouth rinses dry the mouth, causing a condition by the name of xerostomia, or "Dry Mouth Syndrome."

Dieting can cause bad breath in the form of a hunger odor, a.k.a. "morning breath," which goes along with the sensation of hunger. Some evidence leads to the conclusion that this odor is a product of the decomposition and rotting of pancreatic juices, which passes into the stomach while the body fasts. The odor worsens if one skips breakfast.

Gum disease, most certainly, can cause bad breath, because food trapped in gum pockets can rot and ferment, which releases sulfur products, and increases tartar buildup on the teeth, which also traps bacteria that release sulfur products. Most know that smoking causes bad breath, and that heart problems eventually result from the habit, but few realize that smoking causes gum disease, and that gum disease can cause heart problems.

Certain medications, for example blood pressure medication, antidepressant medication, antihistamine medication, and cold medication, just to mention a few, cause "Dry Mouth Syndrome." This syndrome decreases saliva production, leaving the mouth without a lubricant to cleanse itself and to remove food particles.

Distinctive odors are often associated with certain medical conditions, and can play a critical role in detecting and diagnosing potential life-threatening illnesses. Common medical conditions associated with halitosis include respiratory infections, such as infections of the nose, windpipe, or lungs, chronic bronchitis, postnasal drip, and sinusitis. Other conditions include, but are not limited to, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, liver or kidney disorders, and metabolic disorders.

Buffalo wings have been so ingrained in our national food culture that it is hard to remember life before wings. But like "One Man, One Vote," Buffalo wings have been around for a lot shorter time than most people think. From the origin in 1964 to today, however, wings are a prime example of a food that incorporates so many of the traits our culture is known for. Thrift - wings, after all, come from the part of the chicken most people threw away or used only for soups and stocks. Ingenuity - the combination of simple, at-hand materials to make a new item. Eating with your hands - while most of us are quite familiar with our principal utensils of fork and knife, there is that childlike satisfaction in eating with fingers, especially when there is a flavorful sauce to lick off.

There is something for most people to like about Buffalo wings and for those many reasons the food has spread rapidly from its origin in Buffalo, New York, and is now part of our national food culture, no longer something you can find only in the Northeastern United States.