Fir tree in lung

AllenG · « **on:** 17/04/2009 01:04:23 »

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.

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #1 on:** 17/04/2009 01:47:58 »

Well, who's going to argue with the news?

AllenG · « **Reply #2 on:** 17/04/2009 07:16:24 »

*raises hand*

No way that is real.

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #3 on:** 17/04/2009 07:25:09 »

I have no idea.
Perhaps it was inhaled.

Karen W. · « **Reply #4 on:** 17/04/2009 08:07:25 »

Quote from: AllenG on 17/04/2009 01:04:23

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....

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #5 on:** 17/04/2009 08:12:25 »

Try this: http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=fir+tree+lung

dentstudent · « **Reply #6 on:** 17/04/2009 08:21:44 »

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.

Karen W. · « **Reply #7 on:** 17/04/2009 09:29:58 »

Quote from: Chemistry4me on 17/04/2009 08:12:25

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!

Don_1 · « **Reply #8 on:** 17/04/2009 10:40:43 »

Quote from: dentstudent on 17/04/2009 08:21:44

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,

LeeE · « **Reply #9 on:** 17/04/2009 22:47:14 »

There has been a documented instance of a plant seed germinating and starting to grow in someone's eye.

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #10 on:** 18/04/2009 01:44:10 »

Whaaa? [

] But there was sunlight right?

Karen W. · « **Reply #11 on:** 18/04/2009 02:07:10 »

Had to be even with eyes closed they will still get a certain amount of light exposure..Like the rest of our body.

Fortran · « **Reply #12 on:** 14/05/2009 17:47:20 »

maybe the sun shines out of his ass and that's why the sprigg was green?

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #13 on:** 15/05/2009 10:20:23 »

In that case the plant must have been in his anus.

dentstudent · « **Reply #14 on:** 15/05/2009 10:25:06 »

Let's hope he doesn't get butt rot...

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #15 on:** 15/05/2009 10:33:22 »

Yeah, he'll be rooted to the spot. [

]

Fortran · « **Reply #16 on:** 15/05/2009 12:58:55 »

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...)

Chemistry4me · « **Reply #17 on:** 15/05/2009 14:24:04 »

I see you've already got the gist of this place. [

]

Don_1 · « **Reply #18 on:** 15/05/2009 14:35:00 »

Yew appear to have resurrected this old thread and are barking up the wrong tree.

Fortran · « **Reply #19 on:** 15/05/2009 16:27:07 »

Quote from: Don_1 on 15/05/2009 14:35:00

Yew appear to have resurrected this old thread and are barking up the wrong tree.

Now you really are begining to needle me..

Fir tree in lung

AllenG (OP)

AllenG (OP)