The Straight Dope 10/10/2003

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The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com

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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 10/10/2003

Dear Cecil:

The death of a hard partyer at a nightclub a while back
sparked a lot of news coverage. The guy overdosed on
Special K and ecstasy. One article in the tabloids
stated that the corpse's temperature was 104 degrees
three hours after death. What I'd like to know is, how
could the victim's body stay warm for three hours after
his demise? If in fact the corpse cooled off during that
time, good Lord, what could the guy's temperature have
been when he died? --Arlene Burke, Jamaica, New York

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Cecil replies:

I know what you're thinking: Urban legend. I confess that's
what I thought, until I remembered an article that appeared
on the Straight Dope Web site a couple years ago courtesy
of trusted friend of science Hawkeye, in real life a forensic
biologist. Hawk had written that frighteningly high (and
often fatal) body temperatures due to drug use were entirely
plausible. Thinking perhaps that he might've learned
something since then that would cast doubt on this
conclusion, I called Hawk to check. Answer: No. On the
contrary--this bizarre phenomenon really happens.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031010.html

STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

I went fishing yesterday with my family and when we
caught a fish I thought, "Why can't fish live outside
of water?" I mean, they breathe oxygen in the water.
Outside of the ocean, they should have more oxygen
to breathe   no harm done! So why will taking a fish
out of water kill it? --Daniel L., NY, NY

Dear Cecil:

I do a lot of fishing, or maybe it is standing on the
shore with a pole looking like an idiot. The other day,
I did actually catch a fish, a largemouth bass to be
exact. I am a catch-and-release kind of guy   but of 
course I had to take a few pictures, work the hook out
of his mouth, carry him back to the water, etc. All told,
the poor little guy was probably removed from his
preferred environment for approximately five minutes. 
This makes me wonder, why can a fish survive for five
minutes out of water while a human surely would not 
survive (or at least remain conscious) for five minutes
submerged in water? Could it be that a fish is able to
breath somewhat when it is out of water? Please help
solve this fish tale, as I hate to think while I fish.
--Mike T., Philadelphia, PA

SDSTAFF Doug replies:

Fish gills are remarkable things, but the conditions
under which they function are pretty specific. For one
thing, they are rather delicate, and their tremendous
surface area (the main thing that makes them work so
well) is dependent on being immersed in water to
support their weight. Out of water, the gills collapse
like wet tissue paper, and very little surface area is
left exposed for gas exchange. Most fish, therefore, 
can only survive a short time out of water before
oxygen deficiency catches up with them and they
asphyxiate. 

For more, see: 
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfishbreath.html


STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 06/21/1975

Dear Cecil:  

I read once, in some dusty and dimly remembered mystery,
that subsonic sound (or sound that is much lower in
pitch than can be heard) will cause acute anxiety to
those within its range. It made an intriguing story.
Is there any factual basis for this?
--Barbara H., Evanston, Illinois  

Dear Barbara:  

Infrasonic sound, to call it by its right name, has some
effect on human "hearers," although it falls a little
short of "acute anxiety." The frequency range of normal
human hearing is 10-24,000 hertz. Researchers have
found that frequences as low as one hertz (one cycle
per second) have a definite effect on the inner ear,
somehow short-circuiting its equilibrium and causing
dizziness. 

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_280a.html

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