Codex Leicester Leonardo Da Vinci
This book was published in 1510 AD. It contains some of the scientific writings of the Italian Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci. Billionaire Bill Gates purchased the book in 1994 for $49.4 million, making it the most expensive book ever sold.
One bucket full of water contains more atoms than there are buckets of water in the Atlantic ocean.
There’s a lot of ways to die. Some sound pretty bad. Sinking into lava for example. But, I figured, since that’s now on a recessed list of worries in your brain, I think I’ll try to put it to rest.
See, in spite of what the movies portray, lava has the consistency of peanut butter, or lard. Sinking in it would be a long process. Even with that though, you wouldn’t suffer long. The superheated air would certainly immediately swell your airway shut, or the noxious gasses would just knock you unconscious, so you could die peacefully in your sleep, outside burning and insides boiling.
Well, how about that. Not such a bad way to die after all!
I should like to think that just walking up to the source of lava, my body would spontaneously combust and I would go out with a bang and a flash.
My thinking is not to be trusted, btw.
I’m not on a pain binge here, I promise. I was recalling my pathology course in grad school and remembered a condition called Intussusception.
This is a life-threatening illness and occurs when a portion of the intestine (most often small intestine) folds like a telescope, with one segment slipping inside another segment. It usually occurs in children (95%) and presents as severe, intermittent bowel pain, bloody stools and vomiting up bile. Primary treatment is often a water or air enema, which helps to distend the intestine, unfolding it.
Good information for me to have the next time I am trapped with the floor is lava song…
The Oarfish is a rarely seen deep sea creature that grows to incredible lengths (11 meters to 17 meters [36 feet to 56 feet]). The Oarfish is also frequently referred to as the Doomsday fish. Many sailors believe that seeing an Oarfish is an Omen of impending disaster. Before the Japanese 2011 Earthquake 20 Oarfish washed ashore. The 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake, one of the most catastrophic in history, resulted in a Tsunami that killed a reported 19,759 individuals. Japanese Folklore believes Oarfish to be a Harbinger or more accurately translated a Messenger from the Sea God’s Palace.
Here’s a cool one I stumbled upon. Out of Body Experiences (OBE) have been linked to an area of the brain called the anterior precuneus located in the right superior temporal gyrus. Studies have been done that have successfully induced an OBE by stimulating this area.
The highest reported core body temperature in a patient who survived without permanent residual deficits was 46.5°C (115.7°F) . This 52-year-old patient suffered from environmental heatstroke, possibly exacerbated by ethanol consumption.
You got it @Cjp!
Evidence-based studies indicate that longevity is based on two major factors: genetics and lifestyle . One with poor genetics may still make it to the age of 90 should their lifestyle support mental and physical health. Measuring Longevity is a very difficult thing to do though. Healthy lifestyles are frequently measured by how well people score in the following categories:
Each of the following has the potential to add or subtract years from one’s lifespan (aside from the danger of some of them outright killing you).
At least three of those are addiction related. Not shocking, but validating.
Really not too surprising, is it? Interesting also, how almost all of these are affected by addiction. Difficult to manage stress, eat well and sleep well when you’re chasing highs. Along with addiction often comes a lot of Negative Social Relationships as well. Most definitely a factor for decreased longevity.
I think there’s a database out there somewhere that has a list of things and the time addition/subtraction they take from your life. I haven’t seen it for a long time, but I’ll definitely post a link if I end up finding it. I’m sure insurance companies keep databases like this. Usually they have major risk factor things in there though, high risk activities, drug use, abusive relationships, etc.
I would take a peek if you found it. It sounds like actuarial science to me.
Regardless of the longevity, trading addiction for more quality interactions in life will always be worth it for me.
Just another reason to be sober! 
I wasn’t able to find a database on Casualty Actuarial Scoring, but I did find this fun tidbit.
The 2013 Oxford-Martin study “The Future of Employment” estimated a 21% probability of actuarial jobs being automated within “the next decade or two.” A more recent study from “Will Robots Take My Job,” which utilizes similar methodology, increases the estimate to 52%.
Here’s a fun website for you to type in your profession into: https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/
Last check in before the Christmas Holiday break. Going skiing with my boys in a couple hours, then Christmas celebrations through the weekend.
Little historical fact for you that seems appropriate for this season. The date of birth of Jesus of Nazareth is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, around the time in which King Herod died.
Contrary to popular belief, Antarctica is not completely a barren frozen wasteland, and parts can be even temperate during summer months. However, about 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice averaging at least 1.6 km thick. The continent has about 90% of the world’s ice (and therefore about 70% of the world’s fresh water). If all this ice were melted, sea levels would rise about 60 m.
As for the arguments about the melting of the ice caps caused by CO2 emissions. Most of those have very little evidence to back them up. 8 billion people is a lot, but it’s a big world, and we’re sadly still ants in comparison. The short of the matter is that we just don’t know why global warming is happening or what the melting of the polar ice caps will do to the globe long term. The rising of ocean levels may cause an Ice Age, but no one can be certain. The last time an Ice Age occurred there was a rapid melting, which desalinated the oceans. However, this single event cannot be attributed towards being the catalyst that brought on the Ice Age.
