Do Penguins Have Knees? (19 page)

In
Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?
, we answered a myriad of questions about M&Ms. What food product seems to mystify North America today? Bubble gum, evidently
.

What
Flavor Is Bubble Gum Supposed to Be?

“No particular flavor,” said a representative from Bubble Yum about its “regular” flavor.

“Fruit flavor—sort of a tutti frutti,” responded an executive from Topps.

We hadn’t encountered so much secrecy about ingredients since we pried the identity of the fruit flavors in Juicy Fruit gum from the recalcitrant folks at Wrigley.

In
When Do Fish Sleep?
, we discussed how bubble gum was invented by Walter Diemer, a cost accountant with the Fleer Corporation. Bruce C. Wittmaier, a relative of Mr. Diemer’s, was the only source who would reply to our bubble gum question. And luckily, Wittmaier obtained his information directly from Mr. Diemer. The main flavors in the original bubble gum: wintergreen, vanilla, and cassia.

What
Makes Bubble Gum Blow Better Bubbles Than Regular Chewing Gum?

All chewing gums consist of gum base, some form of sugar (or sorbitol in sugarless gums), softeners, and flavoring. The key to producing good bubbles is the proper gum base. As a representative of Amurol Products Company put it, “Gum base is the part that puts the ‘chew’ in chewing gum and the ‘bubble’ into bubble gum.” Until recently, the gum base consisted mostly of tree resin; now, most manufacturers use polyvinyl acetate, a synthetic resin.

In order to produce a substantial bubble, the gum must be strong enough to withstand the pressure of the tongue and the formation of an air pocket but also flexible enough to stretch evenly as it expands. The secret ingredient in bubble gum is a class of ingredients called “plasticizers,” a synthetic gum base that stretches farther than plain resin. Plasticizers guarantee sufficient elasticity to insure that little kids can pop bubbles big enough to plaster pink crud all over their chins and eyes simultaneously.

Why
Does Bazooka Joe Wear an Eye Patch?

Rest easily. Bazooka Joe has 20-20 vision and no eye deformity. But ever since he was introduced in 1953, Joe has donned an eye patch to give himself a little bit of that Hathaway Man panache.

And before you ask—Herman has always hidden behind his turtleneck, but he does have a perfectly functional neck.

What
Is the White Stuff on Baseball Card Bubble Gum and Why Is It There?

The white stuff is powdered sugar. And according to Bill O’Conor, of Topps, it is sprinkled on gum to keep it from sticking to other pieces of gum during the manufacturing process.

Both before and after “baseball” gum is cut to its final size, it is placed in stacks in a magazine. The powdered sugar prevents the pieces from clumping together. Bazooka brand gum, also made by Topps, doesn’t need the powdered sugar because it isn’t stacked in the same way.

Card gum contains less water than conventional bubble gum, but in humid conditions it absorbs moisture. The powdered sugar also prevents the wrapper from sticking to the gum on hot, sticky days.

Why
Are Baseball Card Wrappers Covered with Wax?

Wax Wrap allows the cards and gum to be sealed with heat, an economical, quick, and safe method to secure the integrity of the packaging. But most bubble gum manufacturers are switching to poly-wraps because new equipment is faster and poly creates a more airtight seal. Now that baseball cards can be worth as much as objets d’art, it seems appropriate that the waxy texture of the wrappers will be eradicated.

Why
Do Some Binoculars Have an Adjustment Only for the Right Eyepiece?

Militant left-handers swear to us that we live in a right-handers’ world. But their argument doesn’t hold up too well when it comes to binoculars; this is one case where the lefties have priority over those right-dominant types.

Binoculars can be focused in two ways. The “individual focus binocular” provides diopter scales for each eyepiece and spiral-type adjustments so that you can fix each eyepiece.

But our Imponderable refers to the “central focusing system,” which has a focusing wheel in between the barrels of the two eyepieces. According to Bill Shoenleber, of Edmund Scientific Co.,

Bushnell and many other companies do make binoculars with the individual focus on the left, but for unknown this configuration has never sold as well.

Why
Do Scabs Always Itch So Much?

Scabs don’t itch, Ruth. People do.

Honest. Scabs are just crusts of dried blood and fiber that cover a wound. It’s the wound that itches.

In
Imponderables
, we discussed how the itching sensation is sent through the same neural pathways as pain signals. In fact, most scientists and doctors believe that, as dermatologist Jerome S. Litt describes it, “An itch is a minuscule pain.” Litt explains why the wound itches:

What happens during the recovery period to irritate nerve fibers? Wounds repair themselves and shrink in size, partly because of the elasticity of the skin, but partly because the scab pulls on the wound.

Less frequently, itching can be caused by infections or small cracks in the scab as it dries. Dermatologist Samuel T. Selden, of Chesapeake, Virginia, treats wounds with moist dressings, allowing the wound to heal without scabbing, and reports that he has not heard any complaints from patients about itching.

What
Is the Purpose of the Holes on the Sides of Men’s Hats? Decoration? Ventilation? A Receptacle for Feathers? Or?

Clothing historian and writer G. Bruce Boyer is emphatic: “The holes in the sides of men’s hats are specifically and exclusively for ventilation.”

Every hat manufacturer we spoke to agreed with Mr. Boyer. Feathers are usually placed in the hat band, not the holes. Nobody thought that the holes added much to the look of the hat.

So we went back to the poser of this Imponderable, proud of our newfound knowledge. And then he gave us a discomfiting response. If the holes are for ventilation, why does the sweat band inside of his hat cover the holes from the inside?

Hmmm.

How
Do They Peel and Clean Baby Shrimp?

Increasingly, by machine. The Laitram Corporation, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, dominates the field of automatic shrimp processing. With four separate stations, Laitram machines can process hundreds of pounds of shrimp per hour.

These machines are neither sleek nor pretty—one peeler weighs more than two tons—but they save money. Machines also can grade shrimp and separate them by size, and they work just as easily on baby shrimp as jumbos.

How
Do Football Officials Measure First Down Yardage with Chains, Especially When They Go on Field to Confirm First Downs?

In Professional football, careers and millions of dollars can rest on a matter of inches. We’ve never quite figured out how football officials can spot the ball accurately when a running back dives atop a group of ten hulking linemen, let alone how the chain crew retains the proper spot on the sidelines and then carries the chain back out to the field without losing its bearings. Is the aura of pinpoint measurement merely a ruse?

Not really. The answer to this Imponderable focuses on the importance of an inexpensive metal clip. The National Football League’s Art McNally explains: