What are the most dangerous countries for traveling Americans?
Gerald Atoll, Milwaukee, WI
As an American, it is your right to roam the globe and loudly talk about how much
better the U.S. is. Above are destinations that the State Department says you can visit, but
suggests you be prepared for a permanent vacation if you do.
Can you live inside a whale?
Phil Dietrich, Tuscaloosa, AL
Don’t break your lease, Phil! Physiologist John Rudell zeroes in on the big problem: a lack of oxygen in the whale’s digestive tract. Also, its stomach is “a very acidic and enzymatic environment.” Not that you’d get far: The 100-foot-long blue whale has an esophagus only four inches in diameter. That said, Jim Joplin (author of Marine Survival Tactics for the Weekend Warrior) notes hearing of Japanese divers who “whale-ride” by wearing oxygen tanks into the mouths of injured baleen whales. So it’s possible that their insides are a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.
What’s the highest blood alcohol content ever recorded?
Desmond Grayle, Franklin, NJ
Legally, you can’t get behind the wheel in most states with a blood alcohol content over .08 (more than four drinks in an hour on an empty stomach for the average dude). And at a .45 BAC, even John Daly has a decent shot at dying. So in 2004 when a man in Plovdiv blew a .914, Bulgarian police assumed their equipment wasn’t working, since the 67-year-old wasn’t dead (indeed, he was talking to them). Five tests later the result was determined accurate, proving that if you dream it, you can achieve it, Desmond!
Can you really be harmed by standing in front of a microwave oven?
Gary Hazari, Austin, TX
Maybe. But relax, Gary. Microwaves come with magical devices called “doors” and turn on only when they’re closed. Once sealed, the radiation is contained and can’t nuke your nuts. But! “If the seal is damaged enough, it’s conceivable radiation could leak,” admits John E. Moulder, director of radiation biology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “In that case, if you’re standing next to it you’ll feel heat from the radiation as if you were standing next to a fire.” A feeling you and your crotch should be long used to.
