Ten Ponderable Imponderables to Tickle Your Fancy

A ponderable is something important enough to think about.

Imponderables are not ponderable: incapable of being weighed or evaluated with exactness. I’m not sure if the ten below are ponderables or imponderables. They’re probably imponderables. I just know they are crazy enough to make your head hurt.

If you are really desperate, they could also be your next icebreaker!

I don’t have a strong reason for ten. I’m just OCD and like balance. Ten feels like a good choice.

#1 Does poison get more potent or less potent when it is past its expiration date?

If you are planning to poison somebody, do you go for the newest or the oldest?

The answer is… it depends. What else?

Some poisons become more dangerous with age. They break down and form new toxic byproducts. Others will be stable long after their expiration date. Some may become stronger when the liquid evaporates, increasing their potency.

#2 Why do cockroaches always die on their backs?

It turns out that this is not just a coincidence. When cockroaches die, their legs stiffen up and they fall on their side. Most cockroaches have flat bodies and narrow sides. This shape helps them fit into tight spots. When they die, the momentum causes them to roll onto their backs.

#3 Why does sour cream have an expiration date?

Some people might argue that if sour cream is already sour, then why does it need an expiration date?

If you think sour cream has an expiration date that's tart (sour), leave it in your fridge for a few weeks. If it hasn’t grown mold, which is one of the reasons, taste it and tell me how sour it is then. I dare you!

#4 If the No. 2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still No. 2?

The number has nothing to do with popularity. It is a depiction of hardness, the graphite content to be precise. A No.2 pencil has a mid-range softness – not too hard and brittle, and not too smudgy. It has been likened to or referred to as the Golden Girls grade after Goldilocks and the three bears.

The No. 2 represents the American numbering system. It is the same as an HB pencil in Europe, which means Hard Black. The "H" means a harder lead. It makes lighter, finer lines and lasts longer. The "B" stands for blackness. It shows a softer, darker, and smudgier mark.

The number found in front of the letter reveals just how soft or hard the pencil is. In other words, a "4H" pencil is harder than a "2H" pencil, while a "4B" pencil is softer than a "2B" pencil. Harder pencils make lighter marks. This happens because they release less material when you press down.

#5 Why do “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing?

Even Mr. Google does not know where this phrase originated. Both forms are a way of sarcastically describing the impossibility of something.

In one way, “fat chance” suggests there must be a big chance of something happening. In the other sense, "slim chance” means a very small chance that something might happen.

Confusing, especially for people whose English is a second language.

#6 When the French people swear do they say “Pardon my English?”?

The phrase started in England. It was used when someone said a French word to someone who might not understand it due to their social standing.

These days, it is used to excuse the fact that you are about to swear or use offensive language. The long conflict between the French and English led to the phrase “pardon my French.” It became a playful jab at the French! As the animosity toward the French grew in England, anything regarded as rude or uncouth was dubbed as French.

It is highly unlikely that the French apologize for swearing at all; they do it so eloquently. Casse-toi sounds much more elegant than the English equivalent F*** you.

#7 Why do cows stick their tongues up their noses?

No, it is not because they can. There are two scientific reasons for this behavior.

Cows have nasolabial glands. These glands keep their noses moist and stop them from drying out. The secretions from these glands also help with digestion. So, they keep sticking their tongues up their noses to get the secretions into their mouths.

Cows can get respiratory infections. These infections often cause heavy nasal discharge, which is very irritating. They don't have fingers or tissues, so the only way to get rid of the discharge is with their tongues.

#8 Where did blue for boys and pink for girls come from?

People used to think that evil spirits hovered over nurseries. They believed that certain colors could ward off these spirits. Blue was seen as the strongest color. Since society valued boys more than girls, they wore blue for protection.

Girls are linked to pink because of a European legend. It said girls came from pink roses, while boys came from cabbage patches.

#9 Why do hospital gowns tie at the back?

Have you ever been to a hospital for a procedure? If so, you likely struggled with those uncomfortable gowns. You might have even given up and not cared if your backside was on display. This question relates to that experience.

The designers made the gown for easy adjustments for a bedridden patient. If the gown is tied at the front, they have to be lifted to change the gown. Some nurses claim it is also because it is easier to administer an injection (in your butt, of course).

You’d think that by now, someone would have found a way to keep the back flaps closed.

#10 How does aspirin find a headache or where the pain is?

Have you ever wondered how a painkiller knows where the pain is?

Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, has been used for treatment for 2,500 years. The ancient Greeks were the first to use it. It took seventy years after it was first introduced commercially to figure it out.

All human cells produce fatty acids. These hormones act as early warning signs of inflammation, pain, or discomfort. Researchers believe that aspirin prevents injured cells from producing prostaglandins. However, they don’t fully understand how it works. Most drugs operate by targeting specific receptors on cells.

Hope you got a sore head thinking about some of these – in a nice way, of course. If you liked them, let me know. There are plenty more ponderable imponderables.

Till next time,

Calvin