JohnCenaFan28
03-02-2009, 09:36 PM
An Austrian scientist claims to have solved the mystery of belly button fluff.
Georg Steinhauser, a chemist, has discovered a type of body hair that traps stray pieces of lint and draws them into the navel.
Dr Steinhauser made his discovery after studying 503 pieces of fluff from his own belly button in a three year study.
His observations showed that 'small pieces of fluff first form in the hair and then end up in the navel at the end of the day'.
"The hair's scales act like a kind of barbed hooks," he said. "Abdominal hair often seems to grow in concentric circles around the navel."
The researcher, from Vienna University of Technology also asked friends, family and workmates about their own belly button fluff.
Dr Steinhauser established that shaving one's belly will result in a fluff-free navel - but only until the hairs grow back.
Other suggestions for keeping the navel fluff-free include wearing old clothes, as they tend to shed less lint than newer garments.
A body piercing can also help, with belly button rings particularly effective at sweeping away fibres before they lodge.
Dr Steinhauser, whose other projects have included monitoring the erosion of his wedding ring, said: "The question of the nature of navel fluff seems to concern more people than one would think at first glance."
-Nova
Georg Steinhauser, a chemist, has discovered a type of body hair that traps stray pieces of lint and draws them into the navel.
Dr Steinhauser made his discovery after studying 503 pieces of fluff from his own belly button in a three year study.
His observations showed that 'small pieces of fluff first form in the hair and then end up in the navel at the end of the day'.
"The hair's scales act like a kind of barbed hooks," he said. "Abdominal hair often seems to grow in concentric circles around the navel."
The researcher, from Vienna University of Technology also asked friends, family and workmates about their own belly button fluff.
Dr Steinhauser established that shaving one's belly will result in a fluff-free navel - but only until the hairs grow back.
Other suggestions for keeping the navel fluff-free include wearing old clothes, as they tend to shed less lint than newer garments.
A body piercing can also help, with belly button rings particularly effective at sweeping away fibres before they lodge.
Dr Steinhauser, whose other projects have included monitoring the erosion of his wedding ring, said: "The question of the nature of navel fluff seems to concern more people than one would think at first glance."
-Nova