Browse content similar to Can You Cure Hiccups By Standing on Your Head?. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Hi, everybody, and welcome to Science Fiction - | 0:05:04 | 0:05:06 | |
the show where we take your ideas on science... | 0:05:06 | 0:05:09 | |
And give them a good old shake-up. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:12 | |
Give us today's question, there, like a good lad. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:15 | |
All right, Professor, just updating me firmware, so I am. Two ticks... | 0:05:16 | 0:05:21 | |
Today's question comes from Julie in Belgooly. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:24 | |
"Can you cure hiccups by standing on your head?" | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
Hiccups are sudden contractions of muscles we use for breathing. | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
Air rushes into your lungs, | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
causing the back of your throat to slam shut, | 0:05:32 | 0:05:34 | |
making a "hic!" sound in the process. Hic! | 0:05:34 | 0:05:37 | |
Some scientists believe we inherited hiccups | 0:05:37 | 0:05:39 | |
from our ancient ancestors, who lived in the sea and had gills to breathe. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:43 | |
How do you get rid of them? Here's a few tips my mammy showed me. | 0:05:43 | 0:05:47 | |
One, tickle a donkey while standing on one leg. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:50 | |
Two, somersault over a baby pig in your underpants. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:52 | |
Three, stand on your head while counting... | 0:05:52 | 0:05:55 | |
-Professor, stop it! Those are just old wives' tales. -Hic! | 0:05:55 | 0:06:00 | |
Tricks like holding your breath, counting backwards | 0:06:00 | 0:06:03 | |
or even standing on your head CAN sometimes get rid of hiccups, | 0:06:03 | 0:06:06 | |
but only because you're concentrating so hard on your new task. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:10 | |
This is sometimes called the placebo effect. | 0:06:10 | 0:06:12 | |
Placebo - he's the man down the chipper, isn't he? | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
So, Julie, you can't cure hiccups by standing on your head. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
Aye, that's just a load of old science Hic!-tion. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:23 | |
OK, here we go, now... | 0:06:29 | 0:06:30 | |
TAKES A DEEP BREATH | 0:06:30 | 0:06:32 | |
Hic! Ah! I'll try again. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:34 | |
Hic! Nope, that's not working, lads. Bring in the donkey. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:39 |