Do You Burn More Calories When You Think Hard?

According to Popular Science, your brain requires a tenth of a calorie per minute, just to stay alive. Compare this to the energy used by your muscles. Walking burns about four calories a minute. Kickboxing can burn a whopping ten calories a minute. Reading and pondering this article? That melts a respectable 1.5 calories a minute. Feel the burn (but try the kickboxing if you're trying to lose weight).

While 1.5 calories per minute might not seem like very much, it's a rather impressive number when you take into account your brain only accounts for about 2% of your mass and that, when you add up these calories over the course of a day, this one organ uses 20% or 300 of the 1300 calories the average person needs per day.

Where Do the Calories Go?

It's not all to your gray matter. Here's how it works: The brain is comprised of neurons, cells which communicate with other neurons and transmit messages to and from body tissues. Neurons produce chemicals called neurotransmitters to relay their signals. To produce neurotransmitters, neurons extract 75% of the sugar glucose (available calories) and 20% of the oxygen from the blood. PET scans have revealed your brain doesn't burn energy uniformly. The frontal lobe of your brain is where your thinking takes place, so if you are pondering life's big questions, like what to have for lunch to replace the calories you are burning, that part of your brain will need more glucose.

Calories Burned While Thinking Versus Calories to Stay Alive

Unfortunately, being a mathlete won't get you fit. In part, that's because you still have to work muscles to earn that six-pack, and also because pondering the mysteries of the universe only burns twenty to fifty more calories per day compared with lounging by the pool.

Most of the energy used by the brain goes toward keeping you alive. Whether you're thinking or not, your brain still controls breathing, digestion, and other essential activities.

Calories and Mental Fatigue

Like most biochemical systems, the brain's energy expenditure is a complex situation. Students routinely report mental exhaustion following key exams, like the SAT or MCAT. The physical toll of such tests is real, although it's likely due to a combination of stress and concentration. Researchers have found brains of people who think for a living (or for recreation) become more efficient as using energy. We give our brains a workout when we focus on difficult or unfamiliar tasks.

Does Sugar Enhance Mental Performance?

Scientists have studied the effect of sugar and other carbohydrates on the body and brain. In one study, simply rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate solution activated parts of the brain that enhance exercise performance. But, does the effect translate into improved mental performance? A review of the effects of carbohydrates and mental performance yields conflicting results. There is evidence of carbohydrates (not necessarily sugar) can improve mental function. Several variables affect the outcome, including how well your body regulates blood sugar, age, time of day, the nature of the task, and the type of carbohydrate.

Great !!

I love my dad and I miss my dad so much. Will see you soon my dad. My Dad, My Love. 

True Words!!

The Allagash Alien Abduction of 1976:

This abduction case, though many years ago, is still considered one of the best documented in the history of UFOs.

One of the most researched cases of multiple alien abductions occurred in August 1976, in the state of Maine. The Allagash Waterway Abduction is an integral piece of the alien abduction puzzle. This case gained worldwide attention when it was dramatized in an episode of television's Unsolved Mysteries.

Twin brothers Jack and Jim Weiner, along with their friends Chuck Rak and Charlie Foltz, would be participants in an event involving a UFO sighting, missing time, and medical procedures performed by beings unknown.

Just a Fishing Trip

Not only were the four men fishing buddies, but they were all art students, having met at the Massachusetts College of Art. They set out for what should have been an uneventful, relaxing fishing trip. It was not to be. After being on the waterway for a time, the four fishermen had canoed to Eagle Lake. They had no luck there and returned to the bank. As they were beginning to get low on provisions, they decided to do a little fishing at night. To be on the safe side, they built a roaring fire on the bank to use as a landmark, in case they became turned around on the lake.

Brighter Than a Star

After a short period of time, all four of the men's attention was drawn to a large, bright light in the sky over the lake.

It was much more brilliant than a star. Only a couple of hundred yards away, the UFO was hovering over a group of trees. The object began to move and change colors, from red to green, then to a whitish yellow. The men were watching the object in awe, wondering what it might be. At this time, they estimated it to be about 80 feet in diameter.

Charlie Foltz decided to signal to it with his flashlight. At once, the UFO began to move toward them. They were being watched.

Rowing for the Bank

The object silently made its way toward the men. They began a dash to the shore, paddling as fast as they could. A light from the object beamed down and engulfed the men and their canoe. The next thing they knew, they were back on the bank. Foltz again signaled the UFO with his flashlight—but this time it rose upward and departed from their view. Then they noticed that the large fire they had started only a short time ago was already burned to ashes, which should have taken several hours. What had happened to them?

Missing Time

It was obvious to the four buddies that they were missing several hours of time. Little was said between them at this time. They packed up their belongings and headed back home. As time went by, the events of that terrible night on Allagash would begin to have an effect on their lives. The first man to suffer was Jack Weiner. He began to have awful nightmares of strange beings with long necks and large heads. He could see himself being examined while the other three men sat idly by.

Haunting Nightmares

The strange humanoid beings in Jack's nightmares were described as having metallic, glowing eyes with no lids.

Their hands were like an insect's, with only four fingers. There are similarities between this event and the Betty Andreasson abduction. The other three men also were having dreams of a similar nature. Finally, in 1988, Jim Weiner decided to visit a UFO conference, which was hosted by author Raymond Fowler. When the conference ended, he talked to Fowler and related his remarkable encounter on the Allagash Waterway.

Regressive Hypnosis

Fowler was very experienced in dealing with the exact problem that Jim, his brother, and the two other fishermen were facing. He suggested to Jim that all four of the men undergo regressive hypnosis, a type of hypnosis that recovers lost memories. After the four men completed their sessions, it was determined that all of them had been abducted by strange beings from the UFO that engulfed them and their canoe on the Allagash Waterway.

Part of the abduction involved very sensitive personal issues of the taking of fluid (semen) samples and other humiliating medical tests.

Men Were Not Lying

The men all recalled the abduction procedure—some would recall one part of it, and some another part, but when combined, they showed a complete picture of a typical alien abduction. Since the men were all artists, they were able to draw striking depictions of the examination room, the instruments used, and the aliens. This information would be invaluable to those who study the phenomena of alien abduction. The four friends would also take lie-detector tests, which they all passed, further verifying their encounter.

Color Therapy: You Are the Colors You Choose

We all have our own fashion style, but did you realize your choice of colors may actually reveal more about you than just your tastes or that the colors you wear may even affect your moods?

It is now accepted that color therapy can be used to stimulate or inhibit certain behaviors. Advertising executives are well aware that a product can have a completely different impact if the color of the packaging is changed.

Psychologists have found that certain colors in our immediate environment can help us perform some tasks. For example, exercise is best performed in an environment of warm colors, such as reds and oranges, whereas the tranquil blues and greens are ideal for mental concentration.

Quite often the sayings in the English language have tapped into a deeper interpretation of the colors. Red with rage, green with jealousy, purple passion, feeling blue, and he is yellow, are well known to most people. However, each color has a cornucopia of meanings associated with it. 

Your Choice of Color

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung encouraged his patients to use color in their paintings to express the deepest unconscious part of their psyches. We all go through "favorite color" phases. It has been discovered that personality traits are reflected by your preferred color. Extroverts favor red, introverts prefer blue, yellow is the choice of intellectuals, and well-balanced individuals tend to go for the green.

Using Color Positively

Apart from recognizing whether something suits you or not, an inner sense tells you which color to wear. Deny this feeling and you could be ignoring a benevolent influence. For example, red increases energy and promotes free movement. For a woman, it can reflect changes in the reproductive cycle such as menstruation or ovulation.

If you have a sudden desire to wear red it could indicate that you are about to experience a tiring day and need all the help you can get. Interestingly when traffic lights were first introduced people had great difficulty stopping for the red light because on a psychological level red means GO and green means STOP.

Are you Prepared to Wear Your Feelings on Your Sleeve?

Why do you look great in something one day and the next time you wear the same outfit it looks dreadful? It is because the color no longer reflects who you are at that moment. Wearing a color can cause you to act and react to life in different ways. Your choice offers insight into current life issues and can, in some instances warn of potential illness.

Color and Illness

Each color has positive attributes or truths and the opposites of these are challenges. For instance, the truth of blue symbolizes faith and communication. The challenge is a lack of faith, depression, and difficulty with speech. Conscious awareness of the colors you choose to wear can offer insight into the potential change in your life. For example, Illness of some kind can be indicated when a color that is out of character is worn frequently. If red is worn regularly it could point to a physical condition, blue an emotional imbalance, and yellow in a nervous state.

Dis-ease means that we are out of balance, color can help to re-balance and make us whole again. Red is good for improving circulation and orange has been found to be beneficial for children with autism. Green is useful for calming and balancing the heart and is supposed to influence regeneration of cells and elimination of toxins. This is the basis of color therapy. Color healing was used in the temples of Heliopolis in Ancient Egypt, as well as in China and India. Hippocrates, the founder of modern-day medicine, placed colored strips on cuts to aid in the healing process.

The Gray Areas

Black is a popular non-color, often worn to suppress and protect the emotions. Any color worn with it is a paradox since it represents unrealized potential. The promise of power that black evokes lies within the consciousness of the wearer.

Combined with another color it augurs control over its influence. With red it controls physical power and yellow intellectual power. White, on the other hand, highlights a color and worn alone symbolizes a clean palate, completion, purity, cleansing, and strength. The challenges of white are those that accompany a new start, anger, vulnerability, and tears. Gray is the combination of black and white and symbolizes the diversity of the two creating a state of caution.

Mixing and Matching Your Colors

When colors are combined each influence reflects off the other. Wearing green with red puts a different slant on the meanings. As green means stop and red means go, these colors together can signify a difficult decision, usually involving staying or leaving a situation. Wearing these colors can aid in the decision-making process through the vibratory influence of each color.

Hard to see..!!

Choose the Right Skis!!

When life was simple and skiers wore stretch pants or jeans to ski in, we only had to choose between three basic types of skis, all based on racing. However, now that we are enjoying the engineering marvels of the shaped ski, the focus of ski design has become more complex.

When it comes to actually looking at skis, reading ski publications or walking through a ski show can be overwhelming. For example, Ski and Skiing magazines test at least 300 models, while Ski Press may test 500 different ski models in a year.

You could ski every day for almost a year and a half and never use the same skis twice!

How to Choose the Right Ski

So, is finding the right ski easy? Not as easy as it was when we walked up to a ski sales clerk and said we wanted a Giant Slalom, Slalom, or Downhill ski then raised our arm so he could find the right length. Finding skis is certainly doable though, as long as you stay focused on your search.

Tips for Choosing the Right Ski

Reading ski reviews is helpful. I believe the major ski publications approach testing seriously. Ski Press uses a percent of recreational skiers chosen at random to test skis, while the others use pros only. The pros are almost all certified instructors so they know their business.

Narrow the playing field to the field you're playing on. Don't grab that great deal on super fat powder skis if you only intend to ski the mid and eastern U.S. Focus, instead, on skis engineered to that snow.

Talk to your favorite ski shop owner. Ski shops are in business to stay in business and 99% of them have qualified people who know local conditions. Bring your ski test wish list, but, listen to their advice. They usually have good advice on what you will need.

Most top name brands will have a ski for you. If you look at the models available from the top 10 or 15 ski manufacturers, you are almost guaranteed to find a ski to meet the snow conditions where you typically ski, your type of skiing, and your ability in each brand.

Try before you buy. This is important because you know when a ski is good for you when you ski on it, not before. When you're trying the skis and you think the skis can read your mind, you'll know that you have found your skis.

Demo, demo, demo - because that is how you will be most happy with the ski you buy. I believe I could ski on similarly designed models of the 3 or 4 top brands and be hard pressed to pick "the best." Focus on your typical skiing conditions, your ability, and your experience.

I look for the best ski for the conditions I usually ski. Those most important to consider in skis designed today are – Pure Powder, Groomed Powder, and the catch-all Packed Powder Conditions. You will find these conditions in varying degrees and times at most resorts. However, in general terms powder reigns in the west and the east hopes for the best.

Your next consideration should be your skiing ability and your experience. Experience only comes with time in the snow, but, it is the end product of our learning how to use our skis in a variety of conditions. This ability improves with proper instruction and review.

Why Are We Ticklish?

The phenomenon of ticklishness has puzzled scientists and philosophers for decades. From social bonding to survival, researchers have offered a wide range of theories to explain this peculiar bodily quirk.

Opposing Theories

Charles Darwin argued that the mechanism behind ticklishness is similar to the way we laugh in response to a funny joke. In both cases, he contended, one must be “light” state of mind in order to respond with laughter.

Sir Francis Bacon made an opposing claim when he said on the subject of tickling, “...[W]e see that men even in a grieved state of mind, yet cannot sometimes forbear laughing." The opposing theories of Darwin and Bacon reflect some of the contemporary conflicts that exist in research on tickling today.

Tickling as Social Bonding

Tickling may function as a form of social bonding, especially for a parent and child. University of Maryland neuroscientist Robert Provine, who considers ticklishness to be “one of the broadest and deepest subjects in science,” says that the laughter response to being tickled is activated within the first few months of life and that tickling as a form of play helps newborns connect with parents. 

It's also possible that the horseplay and other games involving tickling help us hone our ability to defend ourselves — a kind of casual combat training. This view is supported by the fact that the regions of the body that happen to be most ticklish, such as the armpits, ribs, and inner thighs, are also areas that are particularly vulnerable to attack.

Tickling as a Reflex

Research into the physical response to tickling has led to conclusions that conflict with the social bonding hypothesis. The social bonding hypothesis really starts to fall apart when one considers those who find the experience of being tickled unpleasant. A study conducted by psychologists at the University of California in San Diego found that subjects can experience an equal degree of ticklishness regardless of whether they believe they are being tickled by a machine or a human.

From these findings, the authors drew the conclusion that being ticklish is more likely a reflex than anything else.

If ticklishness is a reflex, why can’t we tickle ourselves? Even Aristotle asked himself this question. Neuroscientists at University College London used brain mapping to study the impossibility of self-tickling. They determined that the region of the brain responsible for coordinating movements, known as the cerebellum, can read your intentions and even predict exactly where on the body an attempt to self-tickle will occur. This mental process prevents out the intended "tickle" effect.

Types of Ticklishness

Just as there is a wide variation to where and the degree in which a person is ticklish, there is more than one type of tickle. Knismesis is the light, gentle tickling felt when someone runs a feather across the surface of the skin. It does not typically induce laughter and can be described as irritating and slightly itchy. Conversely, gargalesis is a more intense sensation triggered by aggressive tickling and usually provokes audible laughter and squirming. Gargalesis is the type of tickling used for play and other social interactions. Scientists speculate that each type of tickle produces markedly different sensations because the signals are sent through separate nerve pathways.

Ticklish Animals

Humans are not the only animals with a tickle response. Experiments in rats have shown that tickling rodents can trigger inaudible vocalizations that are akin to laughter. A closer measurement of their brain activity using electrodes even revealed where the rats are most ticklish: along the belly and the bottoms of the feet.

However, the researchers found that the rats who were put in a stressful situation did not have the same response to being tickled, which suggests that Darwin's "light state of mind" theory might not be totally off base. For the human population, the explanation for the tickle response remains elusive, tickling away at our curiosity.  

That's Awesome !!

GOODBYE TO SAGGING FACIAL SKIN AND WRINKLES !!

Every woman desires smooth, healthy and glowing skin. Unfortunately, for some women this is difficult to be achieved since the skin on the face is prone to acne, blackheads, clogged pores, wrinkles and oil buildup.

Cosmetic companies take advantage of this issue by selling numerous beauty and cosmetic products which are too expensive. Some of them are weak and ineffective, while others are harsh due to the chemicals in their content which may harm the delicate skin on the face.

In order to get rid of all these skin issues which are not only a health issue but an aesthetic problem as well, we are going to present you a homemade remedy which will improve the look of your skin completely naturally.

You are probably familiar with the mighty benefits of baking soda and coconut oil. The remedy based on these two ingredients rejuvenates the skin and cleanses it from all impurities. It has antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties and it can be used as a lotion as well.

BAKING SODA

Baking soda improves the overall skin complexion, fights acne and pimples and relieves sunburn.

It is mostly used as a deodorant and teeth whitener. It can effectively treat acne too. This ingredient can balance the pH level of the skin due to its amphoteric properties (meaning, it can act both as an acid and a base).

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil, on the other hand, soothes the dry skin and it has antimicrobial and moisturizing effects. It permeates the pores and cleanses all impurities due to the presence of healthy and natural fats in its content. It can be also used as a shave cream and cheekbone highlighter.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of organic extra virgin coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon of aluminum-free baking soda

Preparation:

Mix the two ingredients and when you get a paste, apply it to your skin. If you have sensitive skin, use coconut oil and baking soda in a ratio 2:1. Massage gently in circular movements. Let it act for 5 minutes and then rinse it off. Massage once more during rinsing. You don’t have to apply the moisturizing cream after this treatment since the coconut oil penetrates the deep skin layers and provides the necessary hydration.

The ingredients needed for this recipe are natural and affordable so they cannot harm your skin. Use this remedy three times per week for 30 days and soon you will notice the desired results.

A Penny Can Make Wine Smell and Taste Better !!

Before you throw out that bottle of funky-smelling wine, try a simple chemistry life hack to fix it. It's super easy and all you need is a penny!

How to Fix Smelly Wine With a Penny

1. First, find a penny. Clean it up by rinsing it off and polishing off any grime.
2. Pour yourself a glass of wine.
3. Drop in the clean penny and swirl it around in the glass.
4. Remove the penny. You don't want to accidentally swallow it!
5. Now, inhale the improved aroma and drink the wine.
6. Drink more wine. You're so clever, you've earned it.

How the Penny Trick Works

Wine can smell stinky because it contains sulfur compounds called thiols. A burnt rubber odor comes from a thiol called ethyl mercaptan. Eau de rotten eggs come from hydrogen sulfide. If your wine smells like someone put out a match in it, that's from a thiol named methyl mercaptan. The thiols are in the wine as a natural consequence of grape fermentation. During fermentation, the sugars from the fruit juice undergo reduction, which involves the loss of oxygen. In stale, old wine or some cheap wine, the process kicks into overdrive, resulting in so much thiol the wine becomes unpalatable.

Here's where the penny comes to the rescue. While pennies are mostly zinc, the outer shell contains copper. The copper reacts with thiols to produce copper sulfide, which is odorless.

Since the senses of smell and taste are connected, removing the stench dramatically improves both the aroma and perceived flavor of the wine.

Save Your Wine With Silver

Looking for a classier way to fix your wine? You can get the same deodorizing effect by stirring your wine with a silver spoon. If you don't have a silver spoon, try a sterling silver ring.

Just remember to remove it before imbibing.

Being Lonely Is Worse Than Smoking:

Loneliness and social isolation may pose a greater public hazard than people may realize. The American Psychological Association states that about 42.6 million adults who are over the age of 45 in the United States are estimated to be suffering from chronic loneliness after they conducted a loneliness study. In addition, another study has surfaced that suggests that being lonely is worse than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The study was conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University in 2015. In order to prove their hypothesis that being lonely is just as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, the researchers analyzed data from different health studies. All the studies included more than 3 million participants that included data from social isolation, loneliness, and living alone.

The lead author of the study, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, explains that “the result of this study is comparable to obesity; something that public health takes very seriously.” She adds that people need to start taking social relationships more seriously. Hold-Lunstad adds that the results from her 2015 study are “Comparable to the risk of smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. It exceeds the risk of alcohol consumption, it exceeds the risk of physical inactivity, obesity, and it exceeds the risk of air pollution.”

The study also found that increased social connection was linked to 50% reduced risk of premature death. A 2016 Census found that one-person households accounted for more than 28% of all households. Since 2001, the number of couples that have children has been falling and only make up 26.5% of all households, according to City News.

Hold-Lunstad believes that part of the reason why loneliness and isolation have not been in the spotlight is that it is a vague term, according to CBC News. Dr. Nasreen Khatri, a clinical psychologist, and gerontologist at the Rotman Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto explains that being around others is the easiest way to try and deal with isolation and loneliness is to be around others. Dr. Khatri adds that the presence of others can alter a person’s cortisol levels and stress hormone levels. Social connections protect people and help maintain exercise and healthy eating routines.

When it comes to dealing with the loneliness and isolation epidemic, the government needs to play its part in making funding available in certain areas. Dipika Damerla, Ontario Minister of Seniors Affairs explains that the Liberal Party has made funding available to help tackle social isolation amongst the elderly. She says: “I can tell you with confidence that the entire $155-million plan marries these two ideas which are that people want to live on their own as long as they can, but not at the cost of getting socially isolated.”

What To Do About Chronic Loneliness: According to Dr. Oren Amitay, a Toronto psychologist, one of the ways people can deal with chronic loneliness is to try and keep themselves busy with a hobby or project which gives them purpose. Dr. Amitay adds that for seniors who are isolated because of lack of mobility, a pet can help.

Wow..!!

Where Does Space Begin?

Space launches are exciting to watch and feel. A rocket leaps off the pad to space, roaring its way up and creating a shockwave of sound that rattles your bones (if you're within a few miles). Within a few minutes, it has entered space, ready to deliver payloads (and sometimes people) to space. 

But, when does that rocket actually enter space? It's a good question that doesn't have a definite answer.

There is no specific boundary that defines where space begins. There isn't a line in the atmosphere with a sign that says, "Space is Thataway!"  

The Boundary between Earth and Space

The line between space and "not space" is really determined by our atmosphere. Down here on the surface of the planet, it's thick enough to support life. Rising up through the atmosphere, the air gradually gets thinner. There are traces of the gases we breathe more than a hundred miles above our planet, but eventually, they thin out so much that it's no different from the near-vacuum of space. Some satellites have measured tenuous bits of Earth's atmosphere out to more than 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) away. All satellites orbit well above our atmosphere and are officially considered "in space." Given that our atmosphere does thin so gradually and there is no clear-cut boundary, scientists had to come up with an official "boundary" between atmosphere and space.

Today, the commonly agreed-upon definition of where space begins is around 100 kilometers (62 miles). It's also called the von Kármán line. Anyone who flies above 80 km (50 miles) in altitude is usually considered an astronaut, according to NASA.

Exploring Atmospheric Layers

To see why it's difficult to define where space begins, take a look at how our atmosphere works.

Think of it as a layer cake made of gases. It's thicker near the surface of our planet and thinner at the top. We live and work at the lowest level, and most humans live in the lower mile or so of the atmosphere. It's only when we travel by air or climb high mountains that we get into regions where the air is quite thin. The tallest mountains rise up to between 4,200 and 9,144 meters (14,000 to nearly 30,000 feet). 

Most passenger jets fly at around up around 10 kilometers (or 6 miles) up. Even the best military jets rarely climb above 30 km  (98,425 feet). Weather balloons can get up to 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) in altitude. Meteors flare about 12 kilometers up. The northern or southern lights (auroral displays) are about 90 kilometers (~55 miles) high. The International Space Station orbits between 330 and 410 kilometers (205-255 miles) above Earth's surface and well above the atmosphere. It is well above the dividing line that indicates the beginning of space. 

Types of Space

Astronomers and planetary scientists often divide the "near-Earth" space environment into different regions. There is "geospace," which is that area of space nearest Earth, but basically outside the dividing line.

Then, there's "cislunar" space, which is the region that extends out beyond the Moon and encompasses both Earth and the Moon. Beyond that is interplanetary space, which extends around the Sun and planets, out to the limits of the Oort Cloud. The next area is interstellar space (which encompasses the space between the stars). Beyond that are galactic space and intergalactic space, which focus on the spaces within the galaxy and between galaxies, respectively. In most cases, the space between stars and the vast regions between galaxies are not really empty. Those regions usually contain gas molecules and dust and effectively make up a vacuum.

Legal Space

For purposes of law and record-keeping, most experts consider space to begin at an altitude of 100 km (62 miles), the von Kármán line. It's named after Theodore von Kármán, an engineer, and physicist who worked heavily in aeronautics and astronautics.

He was the first to determine that the atmosphere at this level is too thin to support aeronautical flight. 

There are some very straightforward reasons why such a division exists. It reflects an environment where rockets are able to fly. In very practical terms, engineers who design spacecraft need to make sure they can handle the rigors of space. Defining space in terms of atmospheric drag, temperature, and pressure (or lack of one in a vacuum) is important since vehicles and satellites have to be constructed to withstand extreme environments. For purposes of landing safely on Earth, the designers and operators of the U.S. space shuttle fleet determined that the "boundary of outer space" for the shuttles was at an altitude of 122 km (76 miles). At that level, the shuttles could begin to "feel" atmospheric drag from Earth's blanket of air, and that affected how they were steered to their landings. This was still well above the von Kármán line, but in reality, there were good engineering reasons to define for the shuttles, which carried human lives and had a higher requirement for safety. 

Politics and the Definition of Outer Space

The idea of outer space is central to many treaties that govern the peaceful uses of space and the bodies in it. For example, the Outer Space Treaty (signed by 104 countries and first passed by the United Nations in 1967), keeps countries from claiming sovereign territory in outer space. What that means is that no country can stake a claim in space and keep others out of it.

Thus, it became important to define "outer space" for geopolitical reasons having nothing to do with safety or engineering. The treaties that invoke the boundaries of space govern what governments can do at or near other bodies in space. It also provides guidelines for the development of human colonies and other research missions on the planets, moons, and asteroids. 

Why Do People Sneeze?

Everyone sneezes, but there are different reasons why we do it. The technical term for sneezing is sternutation. It's an involuntary, convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs through the mouth and nose. Although it may be embarrassing, sneezing is beneficial. The primary purpose of a sneeze is to expel foreign particles or irritants from the nasal mucosa. 

How Sneezing Works

Usually, sneezing occurs when irritants aren't caught by nasal hairs and touch the nasal mucosa. Irritation may also occur from an infection or allergic reaction. Motor neurons in the nasal passage send an impulse to the brain via the trigeminal nerve. The brain responds with a reflex stimulus that contracts muscles in the diaphragm, pharynx, larynx, mouth, and face. In the mouth, the soft palate and uvula depress while the back of the tongue rises. Air is convulsively expelled from the lungs, but because the passage to the mouth is only partially closed, a sneeze exits both the nose and mouth.

You cannot sneeze while sleeping because of REM atonia, in which motor neurons stop relaying reflex signals to the brain. However, an irritant may wake you up to sneeze. A sneeze does not temporarily stop your heart or cause it to skip a beat. The heart rhythm may slow slightly from vagus nerve stimulation as you take a deep breath, but the effect is minor.

Sneezing in Bright Light

If bright lights make you sneeze, you're not alone. Scientists estimate 18 to 35 percent of people experience photic sneezing. The photic sneeze response or PSR is an autosomal dominant trait, which accounts for its other name: Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome or ACHOO (seriously). If you experience photic sneezing, one or both of your parents experienced it too! Sneezing in response to bright light does not indicate an allergy to the Sun. Scientists think the signal sent to the brain to shrink pupils in response to light may cross paths with the signal to sneeze.

More Reasons for Sneezes

A reaction to irritants or bright light are common reasons for sneezing, but there are other causes. Some people sneeze when they feel a cold draft. Others sneeze when they pluck their eyebrows. Sneezing immediately following a big meal is called snatiation. Snatiation, like photic sneezing, is an autosomal dominant (inherited) trait. Sneezing can also occur either at the beginning or climax of sexual arousal. Scientists speculate sexual sneezing indicates erectile tissue in the nose may react to stimulation, possibly to enhance pheromone reception.

Sneezing and Your Eyes

It's true you generally can't keep your eyes open when you sneeze. Cranial nerves link both the eyes and the nose to the brain, so the stimulus to sneeze also triggers the eyelids to close.

However, the reason for the response isn't to protect your eyes from popping out of your head! Sneezing is powerful, but there isn't any muscle behind the eye that could contract to eject your peepers.

Mythbusters proved it's possible to keep your eyes open during a sneeze (although not easy) and that if you sneeze with your eyes open, you won't lose them.

Sneezing More Than Once

It's perfectly normal to sneeze twice or multiple times in a row. This is because it makes take more than one sneeze to dislodge and eject irritating particles. How many times you sneeze in a row varies from person to person and depends on the reason for the sneeze.

Sneezing in Animals

Humans aren't the only creatures that sneeze. Other mammals sneeze, such as cats and dogs. Some non-mammalian vertebrates sneeze, such as iguanas and chickens. Sneezing serves the same purpose as in humans, plus it may be used for communication. For example, African wild dogs sneeze to vote on whether or not the pack should hunt.

What Happens When You Hold in a Sneeze?

While holding in a sneeze won't eject your eyeballs, you can still hurt yourself. According to Dr. Allison Woodall, an audiologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, holding your nose and mouth closed to stifle a sneeze can cause vertigo, rupture your eardrums, and lead to hearing loss. The pressure from the sneeze affects the Eustachian tube and middle ear. It can also injure your diaphragm, rupture blood vessels in your eyes, and even weaken or rupture blood vessels in your brain! It's best to let a sneeze out.

How to Stop a Sneeze

While you shouldn't stifle a sneeze, you may be able to stop one before it happens. Of course, the easiest way is to avoid triggers, such as pollen, pet dander, sunlight, overeating, dust, and infections. Good housekeeping can reduce particulates in the home. Filters on vacuums, heaters, and air conditioners also help.

If you feel a sneeze coming on, try a physical preventative method:

• Gently pinch the bridge of your nose until the urge to sneeze passes.
• Press your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
• Hold your breath and count to ten.
• Deeply exhale the air in your lungs so it won't be available to support a sneeze.
• Look away from bright light (if you're a photic sneezer).

If you can't stop the sneeze, you should use a tissue or at the very least turn away from others. According to Mayo Clinic, a sneeze expels mucous, irritants, and infectious agents at a speed of 30 to 40 miles per hour up to 100 miles per hour. Residue from the sneeze may travel up to 20 feet and include 100,000 germs.

Key Points About Sneezing

• Sneezing or sternutation is a beneficial involuntary process characterized by forcible expulsion of air from the lungs through the mouth and nose.
• The primary reason for sneezing is to remove irritants from the nasal mucosa. However, sneezing may also be a reaction to sudden bright light, overeating, or sexual arousal.
• Stifling a sneeze is not recommended. It can damage your hearing, lead to an ear infection, and rupture blood vessels in the eyes and brain.
• It is possible to keep your eyes open while sneezing. If you do so, there is no risk of popping your eyes out.
• Sneezing does not stop your heart.

Fact..!!