Naked Science Forum
On the Lighter Side => That CAN'T be true! => Topic started by: AllenG on 17/04/2009 01:04:23
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This is the B roll story all over the news today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/16/urals-lung-operation-fir-tree
Could a tree really sprout inside the human body or as I would suspect the story is bunk?
{edit} changed the link to one that hopefully won't crash Karen's browser.
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Well, who's going to argue with the news?
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*raises hand*
No way that is real.
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I have no idea.
Perhaps it was inhaled.
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This is the B roll story all over the news today.
http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=1332653953
Could a tree really sprout inside the human body or as I would suspect the story is bunk?
hey allan...each time I click on your link it shuts down my browser... could you try posting another link....
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Try this: http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=fir+tree+lung
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If the photo from one of the news leads is to be believed, then the reasonable answer is that:
No, that is not a fir tree growing in his lung.
The morphology of the twig is not consistent with a young tree that has grown from seed - the stem is too thick, the needles are too big and are in the wrong location for a newly regenerated seedling and there are no roots. Although it may be possible to germinate a seed in those conditions, there is no mechanism for photosynthesis to occur and produce chlorophyll. A tree grown under those conditions would therefore not be green.
It IS however a bit of conifer, probably a spruce. The section that is in the photo is most likely to be the end of a shoot from a branch that was either inhaled or pierced the body.
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Try this: http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=fir+tree+lung
thanks C4M... I WAS ABLE TO READ IT thats interesting..I think I could actually see something grow in that enviorment. A parent at school had a child who got a bean sprout stuck in their nose and it sprouted and developed a green leaf and the root was tangled in the sinus cavity.
I had another student get a bean stuck down in her ear and it sprouted also, so I tend to think it quite possible...
Having done some tissue culture. We always started the cuttings in a dark room, then soon after sprouting, moved the plants to a room with light on a timer. I have seen the plants with no have green leaves..but they will go all white if not transferred at the proper time. A plant usually lives beneath the soil in the dark, and sprouts and grows through the dirt into the light.....I have found usually as Stuart commented, that they need the chlorophyll to green up from the light..usually one sees semi white green plants start..then green up darker with further light exposure... so It does make one wonder!
For me, even knowing the facts..I still find it quite possible at least in my mind!
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If the photo from one of the news leads is to be believed, then the reasonable answer is that:
No, that is not a fir tree growing in his lung.
The morphology of the twig is not consistent with a young tree that has grown from seed - the stem is too thick, the needles are too big and are in the wrong location for a newly regenerated seedling and there are no roots. Although it may be possible to germinate a seed in those conditions, there is no mechanism for photosynthesis to occur and produce chlorophyll. A tree grown under those conditions would therefore not be green.
It IS however a bit of conifer, probably a spruce. The section that is in the photo is most likely to be the end of a shoot from a branch that was either inhaled or pierced the body.
Yes I agree, it even looks like a broken off growing tip, certainly not a seedling. A seedling of that size would not have leaves (needles) anywhere remotely close to those,
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There has been a documented instance of a plant seed germinating and starting to grow in someone's eye.
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Whaaa? [:o] But there was sunlight right?
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Had to be even with eyes closed they will still get a certain amount of light exposure..Like the rest of our body.
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maybe the sun shines out of his ass and that's why the sprigg was green?
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In that case the plant must have been in his anus.
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Let's hope he doesn't get butt rot...
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Yeah, he'll be rooted to the spot. [;D]
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I think this thread is begining to branch away from it's roots, it needs a bit of sprucing up.
(Now having seen what I just wrote I wanna be sick...)
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I see you've already got the gist of this place. [:)]
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Yew appear to have resurrected this old thread and are barking up the wrong tree.
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Yew appear to have resurrected this old thread and are barking up the wrong tree.
Now you really are begining to needle me..
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"Oh no, not more puns" the rest of us opined.
Edit: Oops - missed out the word 'rest'
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Leaf it out!
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Think I'll just pack my trunk but then wood that sap all my strength?
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Ah! So you've twigged have you, time we branched out to give you a chance to blossom.
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Fir god's sake will you please stop now!
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Huh! Running out of puns already eh! I suppose yew can't cedar wood for the trees. Ash a pity, we do seem to get a treemendous response to a good pun filled thread. Oh well, never mind, it is supposed to be a science forum, so lets get back to matters scientific, like perhaps doing some logarithms!!!
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Oakily doakily,
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Oh please, I've got the wood on all of you. You should all be sent to an axylem, where you'll sit petrified for the rest of your life.
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Oh please, I've got the wood on all of you. You should all be sent to an axylem, where you'll sit petrified for the rest of your life.
I wouldn't mind sitting petrified, I'll do anything for-rest.
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Now now, don't you get all sappy on me, we are just getting started. Quite unbeleafable really, you'll be reduced to ash-es when I'm done with you!
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How one lungs for a decent thread to be aired
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Is there anyone on the firum from Aldershot?
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Is there anyone on the firum from Aldershot?
close - Nr Petersfield.
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Is there anyone on the firum from Aldershot?
I object to shooting trees. (Nice one LeeE) It goes against the grain for me.
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Oops, sorry - I had no intention of conedoning the shooting of trees.
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I'm sure you didn't. In fact you clipped us firmly together there.
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You've all become comedians like Woody Allen have you?
I think you should pack your trunks and leafe before I chase you out with the palm.
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Well I'm going now anyway, I have to see the vet about my pet pig. I shall see if he has got ma hog any better.
Now that's what you call contrived!!!
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THis thread is becoming stumped.
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Impossible when I bowl beamers!
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ha ha... there is an ad at the bottom of my page about family trees. How fitting.
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http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/15/update-new-evidence-that-tree-was-removed-from-mans-lung/
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8000745.stm
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Now this is interesting. In theory it could be possible for it to germinate, because to germinate a seed doesn't need light. A plant needs light to create food (photosynthesis) which leads to energy. All the energy that a plant needs to germinate is stored inside the seed as endosperm. Which would then therefore mean that it could"grow inside him". However once its stored energy that it had to start with was gone it would need a light source, and, as there would be none inside a lung, would die.
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A pine seed is quite large, I doubt anyone could breath one in without noticing. It would make you cough quite violently. Also those needles are not the leaves of a seedling and the bodies defences would have attacked and destroyed it.
Quite apart from that, I do not think the seed could have found the track here (TRACHEA) ..... Oh my oh my, not another silly pun!!!
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A pine seed is quite large, I doubt anyone could breath one in without noticing. It would make you cough quite violently. Also those needles are not the leaves of a seedling and the bodies defences would have attacked and destroyed it.
I quite agree with you.
No more silly puns, oakay? (geddit?) :)
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Don't you like puns?
I love 'em, especially cinnamon ones with huge dollops of real butter..... Oh no, sorry, that's BUNS!
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Maybe his lungs are Fir-ing up
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I think he was pining for the old country.
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Don't you like puns?
I love 'em, especially cinnamon ones with huge dollops of real butter..... Oh no, sorry, that's BUNS!
Maybe his lungs are Fir-ing up
I think he was pining for the old country.
Are you lot talking about me?
Cause I do like puns. Wood you excuse me though, I just don't cut out as a good pun artist, oakay?
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Are you lot talking about me?
As if!!!!! No, no, no, yes, Ooooo What a give away!!!
Stick around shadow, yew'll soon be a chip off the old block like the rest of us. We'll try not to BAMBOOzle you.
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Glad you got that off your chest, nutter.
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I will stick around if you lot don't mind [:)] I like this forum. It has good people in it. Much better than some of the other ones I'm a member of.
[;)]
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Alm ond the way to the nut house now.
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I will stick around if you lot don't mind [:)] I like this forum. It has good people in it. Much better than some of the other ones I'm a member of.
Tell all your friends! Spread the good word. [;D]
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Alm ond the way to the nut house now.
I think you'll need knots more pills before you cam bi umbrella pined.
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Alm ond the way to the nut house now.
They say I'm nearly there now. Hey, just wondering, do any of you have really comfy walls in your room too?
Just wondering [:)]
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I'm way ahead of you buddy!
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Maybe. We will see
[;D]
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But yes, you probably are
[:)]
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.....do any of you have really comfy walls in your room too?
Are you referring to my quilted wallpaper?
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Yes, that's it. I have it too. I quite like it. Now, if I trip and fall, instead of hitting my head on a hard wall and knocking myself unconsious, I have a nice soft landing, don't you agree?
[:D]
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Oh, so that's what you meant.
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Yes, that's it. I have it too. I quite like it. Now, if I trip and fall, instead of hitting my head on a hard wall and knocking myself unconsious, I have a nice soft landing, don't you agree?
[:D]
The mattresses spread over the floor are a real bonus too, as is the netting over the solitary window and the air bags suspended from the ceiling.
Ah! The little hatch at the bottom of the padded door has opened; diner is served. Mmmm, Heinz baby food, my favourite! Must eat quick, before the cardboard spoon goes floppy.
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Why is there suddenly 275 guests and at least half of them are viewing the same page?
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Have a look at who's on line then view page 5 and onwards and you'll see what I mean!!!
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Why is everyone suddenly interested in white dog poo and why we seldom see them anymore?
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Yep, just took a peek, dog poo seems to be flavour of the moment. Perhaps there has been a sudden upsurge in the occurrence of white dog poo.
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Something smells fishy about this.
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Maybe its cats poo then!
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OH NO! THEY'RE Back! 385 of them!!!
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Do they know something we don't???
Is the world about to be invaded by extra terrestrial canine poo?
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watch the video on this page:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/5152953/Surgeons-find-fir-tree-growing-inside-patients-lung.html
"It is absolutely impossible for a green plant to grow from this small seed inside a man's body, in order for a plant to start growing from a seed, it needs a lot of conditions, most of all light... and certain temperatures".
it would have been too hot, and absolutely the wrong conditions.
the tree doesnt even look like its growing, its a dark brown colour, like dead fir trees!
finally, and most damning (for the journalists i suppose) is the X-ray scan on the lightboard, look at the anomaly, its a huge, bulbous tumour, not a thin stick!
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Foreign objects (like bits of food) aspirated into the lungs usually cause a huge and often deadly inflammatory reaction. I doubt it's real.