Everytime you breathe you will inhale approximately 34,000 of the same nitrogen molecules that were in Jesus' lungs at some point during his 33 year life.
This makes numerous assumptions including that the typical human inhales 0.5 L of air an average of 15 times per minute over their lifetime, that the atomosphere is well mixed and that nitrogen molecules have a nearly infinite residence time in the atmosphere and of course that Jesus actually lived for 33 years (which is in fact by far the most questionable of the assumptions).
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Breathe.
Very interesting.
Posted by Javert Hugo (Member # 3980) on :
breath = noun breathe = verb ----
It seems to me that there is a real desire in many human hearts to feel connected to greatness. It comes out in all sorts of ways, and I think the breathing the same molecules thing is part of it. Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
I think Sparky did a Peanuts strip about this back in the 60s.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:It seems to me that there is a real desire in many human hearts to feel connected to greatness. It comes out in all sorts of ways, and I think the breathing the same molecules thing is part of it.
Heaven knows I breathe regularly, not to stay alive, but to give everyone the benefit of my nitrogen molecules in about 2000 years time.
[ July 17, 2007, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: BlackBlade ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Very cool. Though I'm glad I'm not downwind of BB. Poor people won't know what hit them.
-Bok
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
I was thinking this would be a thread about terraforming.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
quote:breath = noun breathe = verb
Really? I didn't know that. Is that universal or regional?
Also, that's neat about the molecules. I wonder how much of Siddhartha's air we're breathing?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:Originally posted by vonk:
quote:breath = noun breathe = verb
Really? I didn't know that. Is that universal or regional?
It's universal. The same rule shows up in some other words, too, like cloth/clothe and bath/bathe.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote: I wonder how much of Siddhartha's air we're breathing?
Not as much as Jesus, Siddhartha spent much of his life in constant meditation. Controled slow breathing you know? Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Ah, good point.
Jon Boy - Seriously?! I'm going back to my grade school in Louisiana to rough up some Composition teachers then. I missed the boat on that rule.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
Does this mean I'm getting 1,000,000 of the same molecules as Methuselah?
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:Originally posted by vonk: Jon Boy - Seriously?! I'm going back to my grade school in Louisiana to rough up some Composition teachers then. I missed the boat on that rule.
Would Jesus rough up some composition teachers? Then neither should you.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Well then I'll go back to grade school and split their curtains down the middle or break their money changing table or destroy their temple or something.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
There you go.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Of course, this means you are also breathing in molecules from Hilter's lungs as well.
Edit: So what about the molecules in Jesus' body (like Carbon)? Assuming his body decomposed, and was buried somewhere. I'd imagine that it would be consumed by micro-organisms, and processed into the general environment. What are the odds that any of those carbon atoms is inside of an individual living today (as part of their body)? Perhaps some of them are now composed inside of CO2, and breathed in? I wonder if any of it made its way into the wine or wafers that are given out. Would be ironic, no?
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
And all the people who ever had black plague.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
Does the FSM "breathe"?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Well, it belches a lot, and it's kinda gassy, but I don't think it actually respirates.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: Edit: So what about the molecules in Jesus' body (like Carbon)? Assuming his body decomposed, and was buried somewhere.
Not a general assumption. Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
*grin
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
We're also breathing molecules that have passed through elephants' intestines. Gross!
Think about how dirty all the molecules we breathe are. They'd probably all be hydrogen if we scraped all the gunk off. Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
I don't think that's very sensitive to the feelings of our members who have also passed through elephants' intestines, MC.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Think about how dirty all the molecules we breathe are. They'd probably all be hydrogen if we scraped all the gunk off.
Why stop there? Hydrogen is just dirty protons, neutrons and electrons. Fire is a good way to clean hydrogen.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[No No]](graemlins/nono.gif)
Would Jesus rough up some composition teachers? Then neither should you.