Y’know, I really hate asking all you Dopers to drop what you’re doing and help me with this scam, but my wife’s best friend is coming around to the house with her latest miracle cure. This time it’s Tangusta Blast, a drink that apparently gives you energy and reduces stress at the same time. All at the low, low price of $54.95 for a 32-oz bottle or $210 for the economy 4-pack. And to prove that it reduces stress, it comes with a mood-ring-on-a-card that miraculously measures your stress level - not your body heat, mind you - but your stress level.
OK, here’s the deal. In 1908 a huge explosion occurred in Russia in the Tungusta region. Cecil talks about it here. And here’s the claim made by the Tungusta Blast makers:
I’ve tried googling to see if there are any legitimate claims for the kind of spectacular plant growth mentioned above, but the results are so contaminated by those with a vested interest in selling the drink that I quickly get bogged down in the bullshit (can I say that in GQ?). Now, the lack of corroborating web sites could mean that the plants in the region grow pretty much like the plants in other parts of Siberia. Or… It could mean that the vast medical industry conspiracy has shut down all sites that could support the claim. It’s hard to tell.
So perhaps someone with better googling skills than I, or perhaps someone who has had considerably less wine than I could see if there is any real evidence of extraordinary plant growth around the blast area.
Dear God, you have no idea how many hours I’ve wasted debunking this woman’s cure du jour.
Well, Snopes is coming up empty, but it sounds like 100% bullshit to me (as all of these types of claims seem to be). In everything I’ve read or seen about Tunguska, I have never heard of “rapid herb growth.”
Wiki also mentions nothing about any odd growth patterns there.
This friend sounds like she’s willing to believe any damn fool thing presented to her. That said, I found this BBC article. Photos don’t show any unusual growth - more like a normal forest with some dead spots.
I hate to break this to the OP, but there is likely nothing that can be done here. This can’t be debunked without subjecting the snake oil to proper clinical tests. Obviously there is no truth to the “everything grows at four times the normal rate” claim, but you can’t prove that either unless you go there.
The claims being made by the Tangusta (sp?) Blast people are transparently, idiotically absurd. At face value, they’re ludicrious beyond any reasonable person’s level of credulity. There is no explanation anywhere on the site of what’s actually IN the drink. The con job nature of the business is obvious just by noting how prominent “Become a Distributor” is highlighted on their Web page; if the stuff worked, they would not need to find distributors.
Anyone who’d fall for this won’t understand reason. I know, because I have people like this in my family. My Uncle John fell for every pyramid scheme to come down the pike and I’ll bet the price of a bottle of Tanguska Blast he’ll fall for this one too.
this link (PDF) , confirms the abnormal growth rate of the area’s plants. (Scroll down to page 5) and points to a more comprehensive study by Vasilyev (haven’t found that yet) but says nothing of any miraculous properties other than abnormal growth. The reasons cited for the abnormal growth are scientific (ash fertilization, decreased competition, etc.).
You could try informing your wife’s friend about the scientific process and that it’s her job to present the evidence, but even if she’s as smart as the average American she wouldn’t understand it unless Jesus came riding up on a stegosaurus and explained it to her.
FWIW, a Spacedaily article said that estimates of the blasts’s size were recently lowered to take into account that the trees there at the time were well past their prime and the forest was overdue for renewal.
I especially like the logical leap of “The event made something miraculous happen in Tunguska, and through some magic process we’ve BOTTLED that miracle and are now selling it to you!”
One must conclude that this person in question has a broken bs filter, to even consider that this product isn’t total garbage. I have no advice, other than to keep this into account when devising a ignorance-fighting strategy,
Does the can feel mysteriously empty? Perhaps it’s “Dehydrated Tangusta Blast”. Just add 32 oz. of water to the 32 oz. can! With a refreshing Water Flavor!