GOOSEBUMPS Little muscles are attached to our very sparse remaining “fur” on human skin. Goosebumps occur when these tiny muscles contract and make our body hairs stand on end. Two different evolutionary leftovers cause goosebumps. When humans get cold their response is to fluff up their “fur.” Tis is because fluffier fur leads to more trapped air space, which makes for better insulation. Te thing is, since humans have lost basically all their fur, goosebumps are all that appear.
Fright can cause goosebumps too. “Look at a scared cat sometime,” Rogers said. “As they arch their backs and stand their fur on end, they
are trying to look as big as possible to scare off whatever is threatening them. We do the same thing, with the same hilariously ineffective result.”
ALLERGIES Allergies are when the body’s immune system overreacts to some envi-
ronmental stimulus like pollen or dust. Luckily, medications like Claritin and Zyrtec exist to ease symptoms of more seasonal allergies. Anti- histamines, inhalers and EpiPens are medications for more serious allergies. For example, if someone is deathly allergic to bees, they would carry around an EpiPen in case of an allergic emergency. EpiPens contain the chemical called epinephrine which narrows
blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs. Tis is to act against severely low blood pressure, wheezing, hives and other symptoms of an allergic reaction. “Te medications work by suppressing one’s immune reaction,” Rogers said. “You are still allergic, but you aren’t overreacting.”
SWEATING
Humans are mid-sized mammals and are weaker than most primates. “We don’t have big fangs or claws, but we do one thing better than any other mammal – we dump heat like crazy,” Rogers said. “Nothing keeps cool like a human.” “We’re so well-adapted to cool ourselves off that we have gotten rid of almost all of our fur,” Rogers said. “We did that long before we started wearing animal furs as clothes.” In some mammals, the glands that originally produced oil for fur have evolved to make slightly salty water instead. As this water dries and evaporates off of skin, it pulls heat out of the individual along with it.
“For some species, like rabbits, that do not sweat, extreme exercise can generate so much heat that the brain is damaged which kills the individual,”
Roger said. “Rabbits, if chased too long, will fall over dead in their tracks from failing to shed heat.” In the long run, sweating is a good thing.
CRAMPS “When you burn energy faster than you can bring in oxygen, your
muscles switch to an alternative pathway which is less efficient, but is not dependent on oxygen,” Rogers said. A by-product of that reaction is lactic acid. As lactic acid builds up in muscle tissues, it interferes with muscular contraction so much that the presence of lactic acid can make the muscles contract in a very sudden, uncomfortable way. Tat’s a cramp. Cramps are a different reaction from being sore after a
workout. Muscles are built by the creation of tiny rips in muscle tissue. After exercising, usually during restful periods (particularly sleeping), the muscle tissue rebuilds itself-- leaving scar tissue which builds up over time. Tis buildup of scar tissue is what “big muscle” is.
Illustrations by Claire DePree OCTOBER 2011 • CARPE DIEM 33
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