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The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

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Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#11

Post by hbn »

bb88 wrote: post #7

> (Neon tubes, by the way, have an added risk of shattering inside the throat, with seriously disabling and sometimes fatal effects.) I was lucky enough in my life to see someone do exactly this -- he even talked about how deadly it was before he did it. Though for his performance, he used a metal cage around the neon tube. It prevented the esophagus from breaking it, but still allowed the light to escape out. He ope…

That pull quote and first sentence made me think you saw a neon tube shatter inside a performer

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#12

Post by hbn »

Zircom wrote: post #3
notamy wrote: post #2

(2007)

To be fair I don't think much has changed in the sword swallowing world since it's apparent inception in 2000BC.

I'm seeking funding for my decentralized web3 SSaaS (Sword Swallowing as a Service) startup. Check it out at swordswallow.ly

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#13

Post by oneoff786 »

dogma1138 wrote: post #9

Sword Swallowing is one of those things that I would really like to understand how it happened… Like who one day woke up and said I’ll try that…

Training to perfectly control one’s gag reflex? Well I’ll tell you this: it didn’t begin with a sword.

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#15

Post by stavros »

adrian_b wrote: post #10
Someone wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> he even talked about how deadly it was before he did it I would not immediately believe a performer saying that. Saying something is extremely dangerous can be part of the performance. In this case the tube may not have been made of glass, or there might have been a layer of plastic between the glass and the metal cage. That wouldn’t make it zero risk, but certainly would have decreased the risk.

The tube must have been made of glass, otherwise it could not keep the air out of the low-pressure interior. However, you are right that a minimal precaution would be to wrap the tube in a transparent plastic film, preferably glued to the glass, in order to contain any broken shards.

It may not have been a neon tube, it may have been a plexiglass tube with LED lights and a diffuser. How can you tell from inside an esophagus?

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#17

Post by Waterluvian »

Someone wrote: post #8
bb88 wrote: post #7

> (Neon tubes, by the way, have an added risk of shattering inside the throat, with seriously disabling and sometimes fatal effects.) I was lucky enough in my life to see someone do exactly this -- he even talked about how deadly it was before he did it. Though for his performance, he used a metal cage around the neon tube. It prevented the esophagus from breaking it, but still allowed the light to escape out. He ope…

> he even talked about how deadly it was before he did it I would not immediately believe a performer saying that. Saying something is extremely dangerous can be part of the performance. In this case the tube may not have been made of glass, or there might have been a layer of plastic between the glass and the metal cage. That wouldn’t make it zero risk, but certainly would have decreased the risk.

There’s a thing Penn and Teller talk about (in the nail gun routine) about how it is immoral for a trick to have any real danger as it makes the audience complicit in risk. This resonates with me considerably.

But then you move further from magic and closer to acrobatics and things like tightrope acts without nets have real danger.

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#18

Post by gnicholas »

> So gurgitators often "train" by chugging gallons of water in a short period of time to stretch the stomach, or eat huge amounts of cabbage (low-calorie, high-fiber) because it stays in the stomach longer before breaking down. Thats also why fatter isn't necessarily better. The prevailing theory is that excess fat pushes against the stomach and limits how much it can expand. So the best competitive eaters tend to be on the thinner side.

Never thought about this, but it makes sense!

Re: The Science of Sword-Swallowing (2007)

#20

Post by dredmorbius »

Zircom wrote: post #3
notamy wrote: post #2

(2007)

To be fair I don't think much has changed in the sword swallowing world since it's apparent inception in 2000BC.

HN's policy is that older posts are encouraged, the year designation simply alerts readers that the information is not current.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8244765>

(Edit) And: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30400761>

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