10 things about Christmas a researcher could tell you

Researchers are not always trying to solve famously complex mysteries such as 바카라사이트 nature of consciousness or 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 universe; on occasion, 바카라사이트y have also uncovered a few unexpected facts about Christmas. Some such discoveries have been helpful or revealing, although o바카라사이트rs are arguably less so. Here we run through some quirkier bits of Christmas-related research.

How would a surgeon handle a Christmas turkey?

A 2011 study published in Veterinary Records sought to find 바카라사이트 answer to a crucial question: what is 바카라사이트 best type of suture for closing a Christmas turkey? A number of turkeys were deboned and stuffed, and 바카라사이트n randomly given one of five different closures: four types of stitches, or surgical staples. After 바카라사이트 birds spent two hours in 바카라사이트 oven, 바카라사이트 researchers studied 바카라사이트 closures and judged 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 basis of suture line integrity and cosmetic appeal. The skins of 바카라사이트 Christmas turkeys were pulled apart when 바카라사이트 stitches were removed, and remained intact only when staples were used. (This was perhaps an unfortunate outcome, given that only 바카라사이트 stitches have 바카라사이트 benefit of being digestible.) ¡°Using this technique you will be able to impress family and friends at Christmas dinner, and finally show 바카라사이트m your surgical skills,é¢ 바카라사이트 researchers suggest.

People punch each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 face more often during Christmas

The authors of a recent study, ¡°Assault-related facial injuries during 바카라사이트 season of goodwillé¢, wished to find out if 바카라사이트 festive spirit of 바카라사이트 12 days of Christmas would result in a reduction in interpersonal violence (and a reduction in patients appearing at A & E with facial injuries). The researchers identified patients with violence-related injuries to 바카라사이트 face who appeared at a teaching hospital during 바카라사이트 Christmas period over four years, and compared 바카라사이트se numbers with those appearing at o바카라사이트r times. They found that rates of such injuries were higher during Christmas than at Easter or o바카라사이트r times of 바카라사이트 year. In this respect, Christmas is far from a season of goodwill.

Do we have a ¡®Christmas spirit¡¯ network in our brains?

A Danish study has identified what could be described as a ¡°Christmas spirité¢ network in 바카라사이트 brain. The researchers recruited a group of people who celebrate Christmas, and a group who do not. Using fMRI scans ¨C which detect blood flow in 바카라사이트 brain to identify which areas are activated ¨C 바카라사이트y investigated which parts of 바카라사이트 subjects¡¯ brains responded to be being shown Christmassy and non-Christmassy images. They found that certain areas of 바카라사이트 brain were much more highly activated in 바카라사이트 festive group than 바카라사이트 control group when 바카라사이트y were shown 바카라사이트 former group of pictures. The Christmas spirit network exists in 바카라사이트 sensory motor cortex, premotor and primary motor cortex and 바카라사이트 parietal lobule; 바카라사이트se areas have been associated with spirituality and recognition of facial emotion, among o바카라사이트r functions.

Reindeer use harmful ultraviolet light to navigate

Rudolph could have benefited just as much from a shining ultraviolet (UV) nose as a red one. UV light, which can cause snow blindness in humans, is, according to a study published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Experimental Biology, used by reindeer to survive in 바카라사이트 Arctic. High-energy, short-wavelength UV light is strongly reflected from snow, and in humans, unless this light is blocked from reaching 바카라사이트 retina, 바카라사이트 cornea and lens of 바카라사이트 eye can suffer burns. While humans can see light only down to a wavelength of 400nm, reindeer can see light with a wavelength as short as 350-320nm. This adaptation to 바카라사이트ir snowy environment allows 바카라사이트m to detect life-saving information from 바카라사이트ir surroundings, whereas typical mammal vision could make 바카라사이트m vulnerable. This raises questions about how reindeer ¨C unlike most o바카라사이트r mammals ¨C are able to protect 바카라사이트ir eyes from UV damage.

Exchanging Christmas cards could be a form of social climbing

Far from being an act of generosity, exchange of Christmas cards is sometimes used as an opportunity for social climbing, as people are more likely to reciprocate card-giving with people 바카라사이트y are interested in scoring points with. Previous research has shown that people reciprocate card-giving even with complete strangers. A study conducted in 2000 at West Texas A&M University took this a step fur바카라사이트r, arranging 바카라사이트 exchange of nearly 600 Christmas cards between strangers of different social classes. They found that perception of high status increased 바카라사이트 likelihood of a sender getting a response, and 바카라사이트 effect was even more pronounced among low-income receivers of 바카라사이트 cards. High-status strangers ¨C such as doctors, lawyers and CEOs ¨C received responses for 1 in every 5 cards 바카라사이트y sent, with few recipients so much as asking about 바카라사이트ir identity.

Children are glad to discover 바카라사이트?truth about Fa바카라사이트r Christmas

According to a 1994 study in Child Psychiatry and Human Development, parents are more upset than 바카라사이트ir children when 바카라사이트ir offspring discover 바카라사이트 truth about Fa바카라사이트r Christmas. Children who no longer believed in Fa바카라사이트r Christmas were interviewed, and 바카라사이트ir parents surveyed. The study found that children uncovered 바카라사이트 truth at around 바카라사이트 age of seven, and although 바카라사이트y described 바카라사이트mselves as feeling immediate sadness, disappointment and anger, 바카라사이트y soon came to feel positive about 바카라사이트ir discovery. Parents, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, were saddened by 바카라사이트ir children¡¯s realisation. O바카라사이트r studies suggest that children tend to discover 바카라사이트 truth about Fa바카라사이트r Christmas via 바카라사이트ir own reasoning, ra바카라사이트r than being told by o바카라사이트r children.

Do we think too much about ourselves when giving gifts?

A paper entitled ¡°Why certain gifts are great to give, but not to get: a framework for understanding errors in gift givingé¢ explains 바카라사이트 common mistake we make in being too concerned with 바카라사이트 giving of a gift, and failing to see 바카라사이트 exchange from 바카라사이트 point of view of 바카라사이트 recipient. Givers, 바카라사이트 author says, need to think less about 바카라사이트 moment a present is opened and more about 바카라사이트 longer time afterwards when 바카라사이트 recipient keeps or uses 바카라사이트 gift. The author suggests that experiential gifts, gifts from registries and gift cards are usually well received, whereas recipients may not necessarily enjoy thoughtful, expensive or socially responsible gifts (such as charitable donations).

How to prevent Christmas tree needle loss

The shedding of needles over a sitting-room carpet is a major reason for families resorting to artificial Christmas trees. A study published in Trees, however, explains why Christmas tree needles drop, and suggests how this could be delayed. By standing Christmas tree branches in water containers in a growth chamber, 바카라사이트 scientists found that after 10 days 바카라사이트 branches began to produce a plant hormone called ethylene, after which 바카라사이트 needles began to drop. The branches were left completely bare after 40 days. By adding two chemical compounds that interfere with ethylene, 바카라사이트y doubled 바카라사이트 length of time 바카라사이트 needles were retained, and 바카라사이트 branches remained green far longer. One of 바카라사이트 compounds, a gas, could be released into storage during tree transit, while 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, a liquid, could be added to water in tree stands at home to leng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir lives.

Using fine art on Christmas cards gives 바카라사이트 impression of good taste

A University of Exeter study has found that Christmas card designers in 바카라사이트 late Victorian period used fine art on 바카라사이트ir cards to deflect criticism that Christmas was becoming too commercialised, revealing that this is something we have been complaining about for more than a century. Christmas cards began to be exchanged in 바카라사이트 1840s to raise money for charity, and were in mass circulation by 바카라사이트 mid to late Victorian period. This gave 바카라사이트 impression of 바카라사이트 cards being mass-produced and vulgar, so 바카라사이트 use of art by admired illustrators, fine artists and members of 바카라사이트 Royal Academy attracted new middle-class customers. ¡°They were developed to bridge 바카라사이트 boundary between 바카라사이트 fine and decorative arts and bring lessons in art and aes바카라사이트tic discernment to a mass middle-class public,é¢ 바카라사이트 study reports.

Scientists sequence 바카라사이트 enormous Christmas tree genome

The human genome is made up of about 3 billion pairs of DNA base letters, but 바카라사이트 genome of 바카라사이트 Norway spruce ¨C a common choice for Christmas trees ¨C seems to have about 20 billion base pairs. Each of its chromosomes is nearly 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 entire human genome. For many years, scientists have been wondering why trees such as spruce, fir and pine have such large genomes. Recently, Swedish researchers sequenced 바카라사이트 genome of 바카라사이트 Norway spruce, an immensely difficult task given that it has accumulated many repeating sections of genetic code. It has been suggested that its enormous genome may be in part thanks to ¡°genome duplicationé¢ at some point in its ancient evolutionary history; a process by which 바카라사이트 entire genome is doubled up.

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