Friday, February 13, 2015

Stretching the Truth

"Mama," my ten year old son said. "Did you know that the human intestine is so long, it can stretch all the way around the world?"

I tried very hard not to laugh.  "Bubba, I think you've got your facts a little mixed up."

Bubba shook his head.  "No.  I'm pretty sure I got it right."

"How long is a human intestine?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"I bet it's about twenty feet," I said. "How big is the circumference of the Earth?"

"Twenty feet?"

"Um, no," I said.  "Let's look this up."  I went to the computer and did a little research.  The circumference around the Earth is 24,901.55 miles.  According to my calculations, that is 131,480,184 feet. "Dude," I said.  "Do you really think one intestine is going to cover that distance?"

He shook his head.  "It'll take two.  Yours and dad's."



(For those of you who are interested, it would take 65,740,092 intestines to go around the world.)

57 comments:

  1. Apparently he thinks you and dad have a lot of guts. ;) That's an interesting fact, though. My nephews would find that gross and cool. haha

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    1. I think a lot of kids would be interested in these facts!

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  2. Oh Sherry, what are you going do with that son of yours?

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    1. I don't know. He's certainly come up with some good ones throughout the years!

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  3. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle!

    Oh, Bubba!! :D

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    1. Apparently he thinks his dad and I have a lot of guts!

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  4. Your son has such an inquisitive, playful mind. I think I mentioned before that I think he'll grow up a "great thinker". And funny too. Love reading these anecdotes.

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  5. Hopefully they are empty when they stretch around, could great a stinky situation otherwise

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  6. I wonder what he mixed up with his facts (sounds like he heard a cool fact, but confused it). Maybe he could take a string the length of the intestines and see what it could go around. Maybe it will be close to his height? :) Good thing you guys looked it up together.
    ~Jess

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    1. I don't think he realized quite how big the Earth is.

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  7. lol- I just saw that you said the length is about 20 feet, so maybe it could go around him like 5 times or something. :)

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    1. Haha! Sure. He's the center of the universe, anyway. ;0)

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  8. I know what he means, there is a true fact like that to do with intestines but I can't remember it now!

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    1. Twenty feet is rather long, so that's a cool fact in itself.

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  9. ours are much longer than in natural carnivores

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    1. I think it's because we're supposed to be vegetarians.

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  10. Yikes, leave it to Bubba to think of something like that? Maybe he was just looking for something for Mama to research!

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  11. Bless him he has an answer for everything.

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  12. I worry for my intestines. Will Bubba steal them and wrap them around the world?

    Love,
    Janie

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  13. I would like to say I learned a new fact but I would have to memorize how many intestines it would take and that's a rather large number.

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    1. Just go with the length of the intestine is 20 feet. That's easy to remember.

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  14. That kid kills me.

    Happy Valentine's Day.

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    1. It's been a pretty interesting experience living with him!

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  15. Hey, at least he was jazzed on science. :)

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  16. At least his heart was in the right place. He knew they are pretty long.

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  17. Replies
    1. What in the world? My fingers don't work. That was supposed to be "I'm telling you..." Good grief, Cherdo.

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    2. I do that all the time. My brain works faster than my fingers. ;0)

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  18. Out of the mouths of babes! Interesting facts you picked up too :)

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  19. Wow. That's a lot of intestines. And suddenly I'm not as hungry as I thought I was.

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    1. Haha! Visiting my pad is good for your diet. ;0)

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  20. Interesting fact, thanks. I think I will have mine clipped so I can eat less!

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  21. Great! Now I only need to find 65,740,092 people to slice open so we can confirm this once and for all...

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    1. Haha! Maybe you can borrow some cadavers from a medical school. :0)

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  22. I've never thought about how many intestines can go around the world :D I can imagine his serious face when he was sure that his parents' intestines would be enough to cover the distance ;) LOL

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    1. That cracked me up. Does he really think the two of us have enough guts to go around the world? ;0)

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  23. Replies
    1. No kidding. I'd hate to think about how much waste material an intestine like that can hold. ;0)

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  24. I'm laughing out loud reading his theory. :))

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  25. Wow!
    That is very knowledgeable, thanks even I wouldn't know the answer.I must say your kid is smart for his age, even though he got it all wrong.

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