Recent comments in /f/askscience

WaltDog t1_j9a7c0a wrote

Reply to comment by Glasnerven in When something is bent (a metal ruler for example) and returns to its original shape, what is happening on the molecular level? Where is the information of the original shape stored and what forces do the unbending? by JewNugget2525

Question: In a metal lattice of say iron, what holds the iron atoms together? They're all electrically neutral overall so I would think the attraction between the protons and electrons and the repulsion between the electrons would cancel out.

1

qwertyuiiop145 t1_j9a0r8h wrote

Reply to Why do we all have different voices? by LegitVirusSN-2

We all have different bodies and brains. Differences in vocal cords, tongue, teeth, and lungs can affect speech, but the brain is the main part. The brain is why lots of people can do foreign accents or impressions but still have a natural speaking pattern separate from those. We pick up our unique way of speaking as children as we learn to talk. Baby babble mostly sounds the same, but by the time kids speak in full sentences they have a much more individual voice. As they grow, kids pick up expressions, vocabulary, and vocal quirks that further separates each kid from their peers.

150

green_print_business t1_j99qcu0 wrote

Reply to Just with a sample of someone's DNA, can a lab tell the approximate age of a person? by Blakut

the answer is definately "No". But it may be possible in future.
We actually lose DNA as we get older. When a cell divides, its chromosomes become shorter as a small amount of DNA is lost from each end. Telomeres are long stretches of "junk" DNA at each end of the chromosome that keep important bits of DNA from disappearing. When a cell's telomeres wear out, it stops dividing.
Can we guess someone’s age from how long their DNA is?
Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Everyone is born with different DNA lengths. This means that without knowing how long someone's DNA was at birth, you can only guess their age very roughly. However, if you knew how long the person's telomere was when they were born, you could more accurately guess their age.

9

uwuGod t1_j99q8c7 wrote

Reply to Do arthropods experience emotions and/or pain, and how can we know that? by _Marteue_

The way I understand it, most small insects don't really "suffer" pain, although they might feel it. But with how simple their nervous systems are, they're more like machines than anything. When an ant loses a leg, for example, it doesn't sit there and writhe in pain like a human would. It asses the damage, searches for the source of the damage, and if the source is a threat, it runs away from it.

It's the difference between, "Aagh my leg aaah!!," and, "Limb no. 4 out of service. evaluating threat level... calculating next best move." ...so we think.

Of course, no way to know for sure. But larger arthropods seem to "suffer" more. Stabbing a millipede will make it writhe and squirm (not that I've done that on purpose... blame little kids for that). Pet tarantulas also seem to suffer mental stress - a tarantula that's constantly startled, threatened, or lightly injured will have a shorter lifespan, even when physically they're fine.

Then again, I've seen videos of beetles that have lost almost all their organs that keep walking like nothing happened, or wild spiders with 4 legs missing that still live normal lives. It's really hard to say for sure.

2

green_print_business t1_j99okq3 wrote

Reply to Is it scientifically proven that binaural waves like (alpha, beta, etc..) can help in memorization and focus or is that fake? by jacksepticbooper

read about binaural beats not about binaural waves .
While some studies have indicated that binaural beats can enhance some types of memory, others have found that they can potentially have a negative impact on memory.
Yet, it has been discovered that using binaural beats can help people focus and pay attention more intensely.
So, the answer of the Question is not yet clear . To determine whether binaural beats genuinely improve these memory and focus , in addition to your learning and memory, a lot more research is now required.

3

jawshoeaw t1_j99lvnv wrote

Reply to Can doctors tell when cancer is caused by something specific, such as smoking or chemicals? by [deleted]

Usually no. There are a few very rare cancers like mesothelioma that are only caused by one thing (asbestos) or the more common squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix which is almost always caused by HPV . But usually we have no idea because cancer is an accumulation of errors. One error could be a diesel truck that spewed exhaust in your face, another error could be a cosmic ray or a random event or a chemical in the water you drank

1