Thursday, May 7, 2015

How long could a chicken live without its head?

About two years.

This could be a potential attention getter in one of my history classes.

fuckyeahoddities:

How long can a chicken live without its head?
Well the record right now stands at 2 years. On 10th September, 1945, a young cockerel/rooster in Fruita, Colorado,  had it’s head chopped off and lived. Incredibly, the axe left the  jugular vein intact, and left enough of the brain stem to, apparently,  keep the rooster chirping. Mike, as he came to be known, was something  of a national celebrity in his time, featuring in Time magazine. His  owner, Lloyd Olsen, charged twenty-five cents to see ‘Mike the headless  wonder chicken’ in sideshows across the USA. At the height of his  career, Mike was making around $4,500 a week, and was valued at $10,000.  Mike was fed and watered using an eyedropper, but tragedy struck one  night when Mike’s owner had left his eyedropper at a previous show.  Unable to clear his airways, Mike choked to death.
http://helpmeteach.tumblr.com/post/6311883319/this-could-be-a-potential-attention-getter-in-one
On 10 September, 1945, a plump young cockerel in Fruita, Colorado, had his head chopped of and lived. Incredibly the axe had missed the jugular vein and left enough of the brain stem attached to the neck for him to survive, even thrive.

Mike, as he was known, became a national celebrity touring the country and featuring in Time and Life magazines. His owner, Lloyd Olsen, charged twenty-five cents for a chance to meet “Mike the headless Wonder Chicken” in sideshows across USA. Mike would appear complete with a dried chicken’s head purporting to be his own—in fact, the Olsen’s cat had made off with the original. At the height of his fame, Mike was making $4500 a month and was valued $10,000.

Mike was fed and watered using an eye dropper. In the two years after he lost his head, he put on nearly six pounds and spend his time happily preening and “pecking” for food with his neck.

Reference:
Teaching Stuff. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://helpmeteach.tumblr.com/post/6311883319/this-could-be-a-potential-attention-getter-in-one  
Lloyd, J., & Mitchinson, J. (2006). The book of general ignorance. New York: Harmony Books.
 GeographyBlog. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2015, from http://geog-ashu.blogspot.com/2010/04/driest-place-on-earth.html  

What is the biggest thing a blue whale can swallow?

http://proxyponder.com/2014/09/blue-whales-population-rebounding/
A. A very large mushroom? No!
B. A small family car? No!
C. A sailor? No!
D. A grapefruit? Yes!

Quite interestingly, a blue whale’s throat is almost exactly the diameter as its belly button, which is about the size of a side plate.
Their diet consists of tiny pink, shrimp-like crustaceans called “krill”. The narrow gauge of a blue whale’s throat means it couldn't swallow big living and non-living things. The only whale with a throat wide enough to swallow a person whole is the sperm whale.

Reference:
Lloyd, J., & Mitchinson, J. (2006). The book of general ignorance. New York: Harmony Books.
 GeographyBlog. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2015, from http://geog-ashu.blogspot.com/2010/04/driest-place-on-earth.html