What is the Use of Your Uvula?

Because of a recent conversation, I decided to find out what a uvula is really for. For those who didn't know, that dangly thing in the back of your throat is called your uvula. It comes from Latin for "little grape"—no joke.  If it's inflamed and a bit larger, it's just called a uva or, you guessed it, "grape." Haha, those Romans, such a sense of humor! I can see the resemblance . . .

Anyway, this little fleshy, hangy-down thingy actually has a use! A few actually.

First, it is useful in language. In English, we use it when we make a sound like "huh." This sound is formed in the back region on our throats. It's called a glotteral consonant. The other sound is called a glottal stop. That's when we say something like "mountain," but we don't annunciate the "t" sound. Instead, it kind of sounds like this: "moun-uhn." I would imagine that other languages, especially African ones, would use this neat little feature more. Use number one.

The other uses are more biological. We have to be a little more careful with use number two. When you massage the uvula, it can induce vomiting. This could be a great thing if you just ingested something you shouldn't have (e.g., poison, spoiled food, etc.). Unfortunately, this is also the method many people suffering from Bulimia use to purge their bodies of the nutrients they actually need.

Use number three, the uvula, as part of your soft palate, moves upwards, towards your nasal cavity, to block it off. This is to prevent something called nasal regurgitation. In other words, to prevent things like food and drink from going up your nose. I'm sure most of us are aware of the discomfort this causes.

These are three great uses of your uvula, so just be grateful you've got one!

I got most of my information from good ol' Wikipedia.

A Few Observations about Giraffes

I went to the Denver Zoo the other night to see the Zoo Lights. It. Was. Cold. Naturally, then, the animals in heated buildings were my favorites. I really made sure to look like I was enjoying myself (and I was—animals are cool) to buy a little extra time for my toes to thaw. Seriously, I could feel the blood flowing through my veins in little ice chunks.

Well, of course, the giraffes were in an enclosed building, being from Africa and all. We spent some time in their "habitat," and I made a few observations.

Giraffes have weird deer droppings. My sister and I thought this was strange as they look somewhat like a horse or cow. Well, a quick trip to Wikipedia informed me that while giraffes are related to both cattle and deer, they are in their own family, the Giraffae, with their only first cousins, the Okapi. That will need an entry of its own.

Giraffes have two "toes" like cattle and deer, too. That also led me to believe that they would have larger droppings.

I then wondered if giraffes have four stomachs like cattle and deer. Another quick check with Wiki informed me that giraffes are in fact ruminants like their relatives, cattle, deer, camels, and alpaca.

I was interested in the giraffe's manner of walking. They actually use both legs on the same side at the same time. Click here to see what I mean. Once again, Wikipidia told me why this is. Giraffe's forelegs are longer than their hind legs.

Some interesting facts about giraffes:

• Giraffe tongues average about 18 inches in length! Compare that to the four-inch human tongue.
• Giraffes only need ten minutes to two hours of sleep in every twenty-four-hour cycle. No wonder they were so active when we visited them at 8:30 at night!
• Giraffes are pregnant for 400–460 days. That's a long time, especially when your baby is six feet tall when it's born!

Thank you, Wikipedia!