Vacuum skin?

[Sir Dirx]

Perhaps you've heard of Liew Thow Lin, "The human magnet." Well, Yahoo has an article about a new finding about him here: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/2001...trpt_dc_1.html

Because Yahoo doesn't generally like posting references in these cases, is there anyone who can explain this phenomenon or post links to the same effect? How exactly can someone's skin produce a suction power capable of holding 66 pounds?

Dirx

[douglips]

66 pounds? Piece of cake. Atmospheric pressure is 15 PSI. Even if we assume he's only capable of generating 50% vacuum, it would only take 10 square inches to produce a 75 pound force. If he's suspending the weight perpendicularly to the force applied, it wouldn't even take that much suction to support the weight, say, he could do it with a 30 pound force.

This just doesn't strike me as that amazing - I can generate quite a vacuum against the bowl of a spoon with my tongue, and a milder one between the palms of my hands. I can easily imagine someone could manipulate their shoulders/chest in such a way to generate suction, if they didn't have inconvenient hair or other problems.

[Duck Duck Goose]

Well, I read the thing, and it strikes me that it doesn't have anything to do with "suction" as such--he just has very sticky skin. Ever do "spoon hanging", where you hang a spoon off the end of your nose? Is that "suction" as such, or it is just--shoot, what's the scientific word for "stickiness"? Traction? Mastic?

Gahhh...

[Sir Dirx]

Well, this is why I asked if anyone knew of any resources I could use to look into this. I've actually seen this guy in action; all he does is place a metal object onto himself and it sticks. I see no manipulation of shoulders or chest at all, and it certainly does not resemble hanging a spoon off one's nose.

[kbutcher]

According to the Yahoo article, "The grandfather is reported to be able to carry 66 pounds attached via a chain to a metal plate against his chest."

So, to me it sounds like there's not actually any skin contact with the object he attaches to the plate on his chest. Something else appears to be afoot. Need to find out more about the metal plate.

[kbutcher]

Wait, I think I misunderstood the article. After having re-read it, he apparently sticks the metal plate to his chest and then hangs things off of that.

I say we still need to find out more about that metal plate.

[Sir Dirx]

The metal plate isn't the only thing he uses to hold metal objects to him. Like I said before, he can take any normal metal object, place it against his skin, and it will stay there. I don't believe there's any trickery going on with the metal plate, or any other objects he uses for that matter.

[Duck Duck Goose]

From the link.

Liew Thow Lin is not a 70-year-old human magnet, as appears the case when he hangs heavy metal objects from his bare chest, but he does have exceptional skin, Malaysian scientists have found.

Now, for whatever reason, it pleases them, or the Star, to say that his skin is special because it's "magnetic". However, IMO it's special because it's extra-sticky.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/body/skin_noSW_p4.html

The dermis is also home to the oil glands. These are also called sebaceous (say: seh-bay-shuss) glands, and they are always creating sebum (say: see-bum). Sebum is like your skin's own natural oil. It rises to the surface of your epidermis to keep your skin lubricated and protected. It makes your skin waterproof - as long as sebum's on the scene, your skin won't absorb water and get soggy. And sebum doesn't always work alone, either: it likes to get together with its good friend, sweat.

When you sweat, the sweat rises up from your sweat glands and onto your epidermis. Even though you can't feel it, you actually sweat a tiny bit all the time! The sweat comes up through sweat pores (say: poors), tiny holes in the skin that allow it to escape. When the sebum meets the sweat, they form a protective film that's a bit sticky. An easy way to see this film in action is to use your fingers to pick up a pin. Then wash your hands well with soap and water, and dry them off completely.

Now try to pick up that pin again. It won't be so easy because your sticky layer is gone! (Don't worry - it will be back soon, as your sebaceous and sweat glands create more sticky stuff.)

He just has oily (sticky) skin.

I'd like to see a picture of the old man with the plate on his chest. Bet you dollars to doughnuts he's leaning back ever so slightly, to encourage the plate to stay stuck.

And, this--

...who with various family members makes regular appearances in Malaysian newspaper pages looking like an impromptu hardware store display...

--ought to tell you something. Can you say "entertainment industry"? It's not entirely outside the realm of possibility that he's enhanced the effect by the judicious application of a little Vaseline...

[donkeyoatey]

Google turned up this site,Sir Dirx:
http://www.aznet.it/polidoro/eng/e-hum.htm

[Duck Duck Goose]

Whoa! I missed that one! Tip o' the hat to the Donkey!

I put in "human magnet" and got 20 gazillion hits for magnet therapy and just went " " --looks like I quit too soon.

[Sir Dirx]

Thank you very much Duck Duck Goose and donkeyoatey. The information and links you provided have helped tremendously.

(And I too tried several searches, but found nothing relevant. That's why I came and bugged the good people here at the SDMB to help me)

Another case closed...


Dirx