# Ask Q.E.D. anything! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 6, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606 "2008-02-06T23:53:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/61 "2008-02-09T23:18:25Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] **Q.E.D.** (really there needs to be some sort of honorific here IMO)… [/quote] While I do appreciate the sentiment, thanks, but no thanks. I neither deserve nor desire such a thing. There are many others who _do_ deserve them. 🙂 [QUOTE=dnooman] what is the one true science? That is, which arm of science validates the rest? Physics, chemistry, math, # of friends on myspace, or just “science”? [/QUOTE] Oh, physics, absolutely. It’s the science which underpins all the others and provides the framework for our understanding from everything from aardvarks to zeppelins. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/62 "2008-02-09T23:24:06Z")
Ok, legit question. Why do spit-out sunflower seed shells turn green when left out for a couple of minutes.? This happens for one of my kids, but I’ve never seen it happen for anyone else. I would presume that there is something in her saliva that reacts to the shells, then oxidizes, but I have absolutely no idea what. Tell me! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/63 "2008-02-10T03:08:05Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Oh, physics, absolutely. It’s the science which underpins all the others and provides the framework for our understanding from everything from aardvarks to zeppelins. [/QUOTE] Our incomplete understanding of aardvarks notwithstanding, how can you have physics without mathematics? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/64 "2008-02-10T03:12:15Z")
Mathematics isn’t a science, it’s a tool. **Fisha** , I have no idea, but whenever the color green is associated with plant-based foods, the first thing I think of is chlorophyll. I found [this](http://www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/5148.html), which provides something of a clue, even if it’s not a concrete answer: > [@](#): > > I have learned that when baked in an alkaline bread, [sunflower] seeds that are high in a natural chlorophyl compund turn green. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/65 "2008-02-10T04:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Mathematics isn’t a science, it’s a tool. **Fisha** , I have no idea, but whenever the color green is associated with plant-based foods, the first thing I think of is chlorophyll. I found [this](http://www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/5148.html), which provides something of a clue, even if it’s not a concrete answer: [/QUOTE] So what in her saliva would cause the chlorophyll to fluoresce(?) What is saliva typically composed of? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/66 "2008-02-10T05:25:14Z")
Who is your favorite fiction writer? What is your favorite fiction book? Who is your favorite non-fiction writer? What is your favorite non-fiction book? ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/67 "2008-02-10T07:22:55Z")
[QUOTE=bbs2k] Oh fine, if he won’t answer this then I will! Thetans. [/QUOTE] Ooooh, good answer, bbs2k! Q.E.D.: Well, I found out something which may be connected to both the biscotti & the sunflower seed thing. There is a litmus test which involves red cabbage juice. The juice contains anthocyanins, which turn green in the presence of a base. Grapes have them too. The primary constituent of anise/fennel is sulphur; I don’t know its pH but I’ll bet that’s what does it. Either that, or the baking soda in the biscotti. Sunflower seeds, I don’t know; but there are anthocyanins in cornflowers as well, apparently, and it’s not too far of a leap to sunflowers. If this is the case, it would suggest that fisha’s daughter has a somewhat base body pH; if I’m not mistaken, that would put her ahead of the game, health-wise. Acidosis is no joke. Anyway, cite: [http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm](http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm) Oh, and thank you, Q.E.D. and bbs2k. I just love scientists! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/68 "2008-02-10T15:59:22Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Mathematics isn’t a science, it’s a tool. [/QUOTE] Why would you call mathematics a tool? What did he ever do to you? [QUOTE=brujaja] The primary constituent of anise/fennel is sulphur; I don’t know its pH but I’ll bet that’s what does it. [/QUOTE] Psst- sulphur is acidic. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/69 "2008-02-10T19:08:42Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Psst- sulphur is acidic. [/QUOTE] Quack! Must be the baking soda. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606/70 "2008-02-10T19:40:23Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Psst- sulphur is acidic. [/QUOTE] Orly? It is? Where in sulfur is the H[sup]+[/sup] ion which defines an acid? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-q-e-d-anything/436606.md?page=3)