How Much Weight Can One Human Hair Hold?
From Rapunzel to the Hair Club Men, hair holds a prominent role in culture and society. But the story goes deeper. Some scientists believe that different kinds of hair evolved for different reasons, such as curly hair to keep people cool in warmer climates and straight hair to keep those in colder climates warm. In fact, so much of your body heat escapes from your head that it is no wonder that hair plays at least some part in keeping your body warm. But how much weight can your hair actually hold?
Dr. Frederic Leroy estimates that a head of human hair (about 150,000 strands) is strong enough to support the weight of two full grown elephants; that’s twelve tons! Even a single hair can support a surprising amount – 3 ounces (which is like a travel-sized bottle of shampoo). If a human were to attempt to climb a rope of human hair like in the fairy tale “Rapunzel,” it is estimated that a 63 lb person could climb a 90-foot tower!
Pound for pound, hair is as strong as Kevlar, so enough hair could stop bullets and arrows. One woman reported that her hair weaved deflected a bullet that could have killed her!
Written by: Camila Vega
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario