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Hair offers more than just growth and a place to collect dandruff. Strands possess remarkable traits, such as detecting scents and aiding some creatures in clinging to surfaces.
Beyond biological wonders, there's the intriguing realm of hair archaeologists who explore the ancient hairstyles that were once popular in forgotten civilizations. Hair can also show up in unexpected places, like synthetic skin or tumors that resemble faces. It's almost as bizarre as Canada's frozen hair competition.
10. Red Hair Depletes Antioxidants
Red hair and skin pigments are already associated with an increased risk of cancer. A 2012 study discovered another drawback of red hair—it depletes antioxidants. These compounds are prized for their ability to fight free radicals that can damage cells and sometimes lead to cancer.
The study focused on wild pigs in Spain, but since humans share the same red pigment—pheomelanin—as these pigs, the findings apply to both species. Researchers found that animals with this pigment had lower levels of the antioxidant GSH and suffered more free radical damage.
Producing pheomelanin uses up GSH, draining the body's supply of this vital antioxidant. Interestingly, boars with gray fur, which lacks pigmentation, had higher GSH levels and less cell damage.
Curiously, the Spanish pigs exhibited some evolutionary wisdom. Older pigs and many prime specimens had gray fur, which seems to serve as a way to reduce free radical damage. The origin of the harmful pheomelanin pigment, however, remains a mystery.
9. Washington's Gift
During President George Washington's time in the 18th century, it was common for people to exchange hair as gifts. Washington himself gave this personal gift to several individuals. In 2018, an archivist discovered an old almanac at New York's Union College.
The almanac, bound in leather and printed in 1793, had a cover note indicating it belonged to Philip Schuyler. Inside the book was an envelope labeled 'Washington's hair,' containing several yellow-gray strands.
To avoid damaging the sample with DNA testing, the college contacted experts on George Washington's hair. The consensus was that it was authentic. But the question remained: how did it end up in Philip Schuyler's hands and eventually at the college?
Washington likely gave it to his close friends Alexander and Eliza Hamilton. The Schuylers were connected to the Hamiltons through family ties and probably received the hair as a gift from them. The Schuylers were also founding members of Union College, so a family member may have placed the envelope in the book and donated it to the archives.
8. The Secret of Sticky Feet
Naturally, geckos are not sticky creatures. Yet they effortlessly climb walls and hang upside down. They achieve this by using the hair on their toes. Each toe is covered in microscopic hairs, split into hundreds of fine bristles. This fuzz is the key.
In 2014, scientists created a mathematical model to dissect the mechanics. Remarkably, the model uncovered a system that is both delicate and incredibly efficient. As long as the hairs remain dry, they enable the tiny reptiles to attach and detach their feet with such speed that they can move 20 times their body length per second without falling.
The strands extend outward at angled directions, bringing them closer to the surface and enhancing their 'stickiness.' The hairs also adjust incredibly fast when a gecko jumps to another surface or makes a sudden turn. Such movements require a large amount of energy. The stretchiness and flexibility of the hairs help redirect this energy efficiently, allowing geckos to perform acrobatic feats that defy gravity.
7. Hairstyles of Amarna
Pharaoh Akhenaten ruled over Egypt from 1353 BC to 1335 BC. He is most famous for eliminating the Egyptian pantheon of gods and adopting a single god, Aten. During his reign, Akhenaten constructed a new city in the desert, making it the capital. This city, named Amarna, was eventually deserted after his death.
In 2014, archaeologists dug into a nearby cemetery. One of their objectives was to uncover details about Amarna's hairstyles. Out of 28 skulls that retained hair, it was clear that braids and extensions were common. One woman had 70 extensions arranged in intricate layers.
The reason behind her intricate hairstyle remains unclear, but it was likely designed for her funeral preparations. It could also represent a popular hairstyle worn by the people of Amarna during their lives.
One person's extensions featured both naturally black and gray hair, suggesting that several donors contributed to the creation of the hairstyle. Another fashionable look involved wrapping coils around the ears. Fat was used as a styling agent in every case, and people also preferred keeping their hair shoulder-length.
6. Oil Spill Cleanup Tool
Every day, hairdressers sweep up hair and discard it. A recent study suggests this abundant waste could be the key to solving one of the planet's most pressing environmental problems—oil spills. While it may seem strange, the clippings on salon floors could potentially absorb and contain one of the world’s most damaging disasters.
A study launched by Australian researchers in 2017 explores the intriguing idea that human hair can absorb oil. In fact, a single strand can hold up to nine times its weight in oil. This property explains why hair gets greasy, and it also suggests that hair might be useful in cleaning up oil spills when disposed of in the ocean.
While there are other effective absorbents, most of them are either synthetic plastics or valuable materials like wool and cotton. In contrast, short haircuts are both inexpensive and natural, yet they often end up in landfills, making them an underutilized resource.
If repurposed as a large-scale mop, human hair could help clean up the oceans and prevent landfills from becoming overwhelmed with waste. Researchers are optimistic that the same batch of hair could be reused multiple times in different oil spill cleanup efforts.
5. The Hairstyle Archaeologist
Janet Stephens, a hairdresser based in Baltimore, spends her days cutting and styling the hair of her clients. However, by night, she transforms her home into a workshop where she meticulously recreates hairstyles that have vanished with time—specifically, the elaborate hairdos of ancient Rome.
Numerous Roman statues portray forgotten hair trends, some so impossibly styled that experts initially believed they were wigs. Janet Stephens, however, rejected this theory. Through her dedication to uncovering ancient hairdressing techniques, she found that the curls, buns, and intricate styles could be achieved using only natural hair.
In ancient Rome, hairstylists employed a method that modern salons would likely dismiss: a needle and thread. Janet Stephens made a pivotal discovery in 2005 when she began experimenting with sewing the braids and hair pieces together, confirming her suspicion that these techniques were used centuries ago.
While researching ancient Roman literature, Stephens stumbled upon the Latin word 'acus,' which had two meanings: 'hairpin,' a translation most scholars favored, and 'needle and thread.' This revelation allowed her to debunk the wig theory, and her continuing research has garnered the admiration of academic scholars, with her work published in prestigious scientific journals.
4. Hair Can Smell
Humans aren't the only ones with a keen sense of smell. In 2018, a groundbreaking discovery revealed that hair follicles share the same olfactory receptors as those found in our nasal passages. These receptors bind with odor molecules, alerting the brain to the presence of sweet treats like doughnuts or the unpleasant stench of garbage.
While hair may not overtly exhibit its sense of smell, research shows it can indeed detect scents. In one experiment, hair follicles responded positively to the fragrance of sandalwood. A synthetic compound called Sandalore stimulates these follicles, which could have significant implications for the hair growth industry.
The specific olfactory receptor found in hair is known as OR2AT4. Although natural sandalwood doesn't affect this receptor, Sandalore has been shown to activate it in keratinocytes, the cells responsible for producing keratin, the protein that gives hair its shine and texture.
In studies where hair follicles were exposed to Sandalore, the death rate of keratinocytes dramatically decreased. Even more promising, the synthetic compound triggered the release of a growth hormone known as iGF-1 and slowed down the phase when hair naturally dies and sheds.
3. The Hair Freezing Contest
The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival, a staple event in Canada every year, showcases a variety of winter sports. After a long day of competing, both athletes and spectators find solace in the warm waters of Takhini Hot Springs to ease their sore muscles.
This sparked an unexpected phenomenon: the International Hair Freezing Contest. The hot spring’s steam naturally gathers in people's hair, and the cold air causes it to freeze, creating unique, icy hairstyles.
In 2011, Takhini Hot Springs officially kicked off the first-ever hair freezing competition to find the most creative and outrageous frozen hairstyles. The event quickly gained popularity, and now, each February and March, it attracts participants from around the world.
Despite their solid appearance, frozen strands of hair lose their icy grip with just one dip underwater. The organizers are pleased to report that no hair has ever been harmed during the contest. Furthermore, the event is a world-first and promotes inclusivity, welcoming bald participants with wigs.
2. The Hairy Tumor
One of the oddest types of tumors is called a teratoma. These tumors, which form in the ovary, can often grow human body parts. These unusual growths are not caused by pregnancy or a malfunctioning parasitic twin, but rather by normal cells behaving in a remarkably strange way.
In 2017, a 16-year-old Japanese girl was admitted to the hospital for a routine appendectomy. However, during the surgery, doctors discovered an unexpected growth on one of her ovaries. What happened next was truly bizarre.
The mass measured around 10 centimeters (3.9 in) and had a bunch of hair, bone, and a deformed brain. The girl’s egg cell had started dividing for no reason and developed hair follicles. Some of the cells turned into a tiny partial brain and wrapped it with a bony layer. Luckily, as in this case, teratomas are mostly benign and easily removable.
1. Laboratory-Grown Hair
In 2016, Japanese scientists created skin in the laboratory. Incredibly, this artificial skin could grow its own hair and even sweat. Researchers swabbed the gums of mice and turned the gum cells into stem cells before using these to construct skin-like structures with sweat glands and hair follicles. When these structures were transplanted onto mice with no hair, the rodents became bushy.
Artificial skin is not a new invention, but the Japanese technique was the first to grow hair through new skin. This was because all the skin’s major layers developed naturally after the transplant, even growing connections within the animal’s fibers and muscle nerves.
The potential for future uses is promising. This type of skin could significantly reduce the need for animals in laboratory testing and offer treatments for burn victims and those requiring skin grafts. However, there are still some challenges to address. For instance, the skin cannot produce its own nerve fibers, and it may grow hair in colors that don't match the host's natural hair.
