August 2021 "Science" Rumors List: Camel milk is closer to breast milk? Are electric cars not afraid of being soaked in water?

The August "scientific" rumor list is revealed! Is camel milk closer to breast milk? Are electric cars not afraid of being soaked in water? Can the "anti-stuffy artifact" relieve the stuffiness of masks? Let's see the truth.

The monthly "science" rumor list is guided by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, the Beijing Municipal Cyberspace Administration, and the Capital Internet Association, and jointly released by the Beijing Science and Technology Journalists and Editors Association and the Beijing Regional Website Joint Rumor-Refuting Platform, and is supported by the Science and Technology Journalists and Editors Professional Committee of the China Science Writers Association, the China Evening News Science Editors and Journalists Association, the Shanghai Science Communication Association, and the Beijing Institute of Scientific and Technological Information.

1. Camel milk is closer to breast milk

gossip:

Camel milk, known as the "desert platinum", is closest in composition to breast milk and is more suitable for feeding newborns than cow's milk.

(Photo source: Visual China)

the truth:

The best food for newborns is breast milk. Breast milk not only contains all the nutrients that babies need, but also the proportions of various nutrients are within the reasonable range required by babies. The content of protein, fat and lactose in breast milk is usually 1%, 4% and 7% respectively, while the content of the three in cow's milk is about 3%, 4% and 5%. Compared with breast milk, the protein content in cow's milk is too high and the lactose content is too low, while the sugar content of camel milk is lower than that of cow's milk and the protein content is higher than that of cow's milk. Even if we don't take into account the trace nutrients, the composition of the main nutrients alone is very different from that of breast milk.

If breastfeeding is not possible for various reasons, infant formula is the only recognized option. Whether based on cow's milk, goat's milk or soy protein, the nutritional content of infant formula has been adjusted to "simulate breast milk" as much as possible to meet the nutritional needs of infants.

2. Electric cars are not afraid of being soaked in water

gossip:

Fuel vehicles are often scrapped after being soaked in water during a heavy rainstorm. Electric vehicles are waterproof and are not afraid of being soaked in water. They can even be used as "land submarines."

(Photo source: China News Service)

the truth:

Theoretically, electric vehicles have better wading capabilities than fuel vehicles. Due to their product characteristics, electric vehicles usually pay more attention to sealing in the design of the "three-electric system" (referring to batteries, motors, and electronic controls, which are key technologies of electric vehicles), and the probability of flooding is low. However, the environment during heavy rain is not controllable, and the composition of floods is also relatively complex, with a large amount of sediment and other components, which is much more complicated than the situation in the laboratory.

Under normal circumstances, electric vehicles will not leak electricity after being soaked in water. If they are slightly soaked in water for a short period of time, they can be used normally after timely repair. However, electric vehicles will still be scrapped after being soaked in water for a long time. Heavy rain may cause the batteries installed at the bottom of electric vehicles to be scratched and soaked, causing short circuits and leakage, which can cause danger. If the bottom of the battery is damaged by impact during displacement, water vapor will enter the battery pack, which will also have a significant impact on battery performance. Impurities in the rainwater may conduct electricity inside the battery, causing short circuits between battery cells and rapid increases in battery temperature. In severe cases, it may even explode.

If the battery is not disassembled in time after being flooded, it may cause corrosion to the battery core and may also cause spontaneous combustion. If the water vapor is not completely drained after water enters the vehicle control system, the integrated circuit board will gradually be corroded by the water vapor, thus affecting the overall performance of the car.

On the other hand, the waterproof level of the low-voltage system wiring harness and cable connectors of electric vehicles is relatively low. In other words, even if the three-electric system has waterproof and dustproof functions, problems with the circuit wiring harness and cable connectors will still cause electric vehicles to face greater safety hazards after being immersed in water.

In addition, whether it is a fuel vehicle or an electric vehicle, in addition to observing whether the core power system is flooded, you also need to pay attention to a series of other problems, such as damage to internal parts after being soaked, mold and rust on exposed metal sheet metal, and other problems caused by electronic equipment (audio system, sensors, wiring) not being repaired in time after being soaked in water.

3. “Height-increasing injections” can help children grow taller

gossip:

If you are worried that your child is not tall enough, you can go to the hospital to get a "height-increasing injection" to solve the problem.

(Photo source: Visual China)

the truth:

The "height-increasing injection" is growth hormone, which is mainly used in medicine to treat dwarfism and has a clear scope of use. Whether a patient can get growth hormone also has a set of strict requirements and physical examination indicators, such as age, bone age, hormone levels, etc. It is not possible to get it whenever you want.

There are many adverse reactions to growth hormone. After the injection of growth hormone, some children will have a temporary decrease in thyroid function, fatigue, weakness, puffiness and other symptoms. Some children will have high blood sugar problems after the injection of growth hormone, and need to be monitored regularly to avoid the risk of diabetes. Some children may experience endocrine disorders, femoral head slippage, scoliosis, etc. after the injection of growth hormone.

Therefore, by abusing growth hormones to "force growth", children's health may be harmed.

4. "Anti-stuffy artifact" can relieve the stuffiness of masks

gossip:

Wearing a mask in hot weather will make you feel very stuffy. The "anti-stuffiness artifact" bracket can support the flat mask, increase the distance between the mask and the mouth and nose, and thus reduce the stuffiness.

(Photo source: Screenshot of Lizhi News video)

the truth:

Masks are an important line of defense against infection with the new coronavirus. Adding a bracket inside the "anti-suffocation artifact" will affect the tightness of the mask and greatly reduce its protective effect.

When wearing a mask in a standardized way, you need to cover the mask with both hands and use your index fingers to shape the nose clip to fit your cheeks. The support frame is generally made of plastic, with a uniform shape, which is difficult to fit everyone's face shape and is prone to displacement. The central support of the "anti-stuffiness artifact" is too large, which can easily lead to gaps on both sides of the mask, affecting the air density of the mask and weakening its protectiveness.

In addition, an overly large breathing area will make it difficult for exhaled water vapor to evaporate, and the accumulation of humid and hot gases will only make people feel more stuffy.

Although N95 and other masks used by medical staff in high-risk areas also have support structures, this support is provided to ensure that there is no air leakage, which is different in principle.

5. The eradication of smallpox, the control of polio and measles had nothing to do with vaccines

gossip:

Vaccines have never eradicated smallpox or controlled polio and measles. Vaccines themselves are a scam.

(Photo source: Visual China)

the truth:

Vaccines have played a key role in eradicating smallpox and controlling the spread of polio and measles.

The process of controlling infectious diseases through large-scale vaccination and other means is never achieved overnight. The rumors of "vaccine ineffectiveness" are often deliberately ignored and even self-contradictory, based on the fact that some infectious diseases have not disappeared after vaccination.

For example, an article claimed that "the UK began compulsory smallpox vaccination in 1853, but a smallpox outbreak still occurred in 1870" to accuse the vaccine of being ineffective. In fact, since the compulsory smallpox vaccination began in 1853, the mortality rate of the smallpox outbreak in the UK has dropped significantly. The 1870 outbreak originated from a smallpox outbreak in France, which does not mean that the vaccine is ineffective.

In addition, the World Health Organization has been working with the World Children's Fund and other organizations to launch a global plan to eradicate polio since 1988. Thanks to this international cooperation, the number of global polio cases has dropped from 350,000 in 1988 to 33 in 2018. It can be said that the effectiveness of polio vaccines has been fully proven by data.

As for measles, from 2000 to 2011, the number of deaths from measles worldwide dropped from 542,000 to 158,000 per year, a decrease of 71%, which is also due to the progress of global measles vaccination.

6. The new coronavirus "poison king" Lambda has been born, and the vaccine is useless

gossip:

The Lambda mutant of the new coronavirus is the "new king of poison" that surpasses the Delta mutant, and the vaccine is useless.

(Photo source: China News Service)

the truth:

We do need to be vigilant about the emergence of mutant strains, but we don't need to pay attention to some people's "scare marketing" with mutant strains. From the perspective of serum neutralization experiments, some recent studies do show that lambda has a certain degree of immune escape, but it is not outstanding among many mutant strains. According to existing research, lambda does not make the vaccine ineffective.

On June 14, the Lambda mutant was identified by the World Health Organization as a "mutation of concern", which means that the genetic mutation may lead to increased viral transmissibility and immune escape, and the mutant shows a potential threat at the public health level. Based on the spread of the Lambda mutant in South America, especially the fact that it became the main virus strain in Peru within a few months, scientists believe that the Lambda mutant is a more transmissible virus strain.

However, when evaluating the potential impact of a highly transmissible mutant, we must also consider the current competition and trade-offs among the major mutants. According to follow-up studies, Lambda has not shown stronger competitiveness against other mutants (especially Delta mutants). For the global epidemic, Lambda's actual impact is far less than Delta.

7. Beijing Health Code can only be used in Beijing

gossip:

The Beijing Health Code can only be used in Beijing and cannot be opened when you go out of town.

(Photo source: Xinhua News Agency)

the truth:

The Health Code can be used normally outside Beijing. If it cannot be opened, it is generally a network problem. For example, there are many people using the Internet in commercial buildings, airports, etc., so it may load slowly.

Relevant departments recommend that people open the Health Code once a day in advance. According to the current basic design, the Health Code will cache the user's health status on the mobile phone. Once the code is scanned again after caching, there is no need to search online.

The health code system will also be upgraded, and the upgrade will generally be chosen between 0:00 and 2:00 in the morning. If some citizens happen to be on a flight at this time, they may not be able to open the health code. In this case, just refresh it patiently.

In addition, the "trip verification" targets all mobile phone numbers bound to WeChat, Alipay, Baidu, Beijingtong and other channels under the citizen's name. Citizens are requested to unbind unused or cancelled mobile phone numbers 14 days in advance to avoid failure to pass the verification when using them. If the bound mobile phone number is not used in Beijing or has not been turned on for a long time, the Beijing Health Code will also pop up a window to remind you every time you use it, and it is recommended that citizens clean up and unbind it in time.

8. Eating bitter melon can cause osteoporosis

gossip:

Oxalic acid affects calcium metabolism, and excessive consumption can lead to reduced bone density, so eating bitter melon can cause osteoporosis.

(Photo source: Visual China)

the truth:

Excessive oxalic acid does affect calcium absorption to a certain extent, but it is only one of several factors that lead to osteoporosis. Bitter melon contains a certain amount of oxalic acid, which does affect some calcium absorption. If the kidney function is not sound, excessive oxalic acid may also combine with calcium to form kidney stones. But bitter melon is not the only food that contains oxalic acid, and it is not even a so-called "extremely high oxalic acid" food.

The root cause of osteoporosis is the loss of calcium from the bones, which leads to a significant decrease in bone density. There are many factors that contribute to this phenomenon, including: gender (women are at higher risk), old age, family inheritance, insufficient calcium intake, excessive dieting, etc. The impact of oxalic acid can only be attributed to the factor of calcium intake.

9. Long-term drinking of strong tea can cause severe anemia

gossip:

Tea contains a large amount of tannin, a substance that hinders the body's absorption of iron. Therefore, drinking strong tea frequently can lead to iron deficiency anemia.

(Image from: freepik.com)

the truth:

Tannins do hinder the absorption of iron, but according to actual population surveys in various countries, drinking tea does not have a significant impact on the body's iron absorption, nor does it cause anemia. For ordinary people, the effect of drinking tea on iron absorption is almost negligible.

People generally don't drink a lot of tea, so the tannin that can be dissolved from tea leaves is even less, so the effect on iron absorption is actually very small. In addition, our daily diet is diverse, and many foods contain iron. As long as you eat more iron-rich foods, you don't have to worry about iron deficiency. There are many foods that can promote iron absorption, such as vitamin C in vegetables and fruits.

In addition, the causes of anemia are complex. In addition to the common iron deficiency anemia, lack of other nutrients needed for hematopoiesis can also lead to anemia, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B12, etc.

10. Ice cream made with milk powder is a low-end product

gossip:

The Chinese and foreign versions of a certain brand of ice cream use different ingredients. In China, it uses "low-grade" milk powder instead of "high-grade" milk, which not only lowers the standards but also raises the price.

(Photo source: Visual China)

the truth:

Regardless of whether ice cream producers use condensed milk, milk powder or milk, they all have to adjust the protein content in the ice cream in the end. In actual production, multiple ingredients are often used together, and there is no distinction between "high-end" and "low-end".

Whether in China or abroad, the main functional ingredients in ice cream are fat, protein, and sugar, and these three ingredients play different roles. The source of ice cream protein is mainly milk protein, but whether it is milk or milk powder, the protein in the product has the same function.

In the ice cream industry, Chinese companies use more milk powder, while European and American countries use the most "condensed milk", which is not actually "milk". Simply put, condensed milk is between milk and milk powder, and the water content is not completely removed.

Ice cream manufacturers choose milk powder or condensed milk mainly based on market supply. This is not regional discrimination, but adapting to local conditions. For example, in Europe, North America, and Australia, where milk sources are abundant, ice cream manufacturers prefer to purchase condensed milk. In places where milk sources are relatively scarce, such as China, milk powder is the most common choice.

In fact, both milk powder and concentrated milk are "standardized" products in the food industry. The differences between batches are relatively small, and they are not greatly affected by seasons. The shelf life is longer than that of raw milk, and they are easy to store and transport, which is more conducive to the stability of product quality.

(Sources of this issue: Xinhuanet, China National Radio, Beijing Science and Technology News, Tencent Jiuzhen, "Yun Wuxin is me" WeChat public account, Economic Observer, AI Finance Society, Science and Technology Daily, Beijing Evening News, Beijing Daily Client, "Ruan Guangfeng Nutritionist" WeChat public account, "Diet Reference" WeChat public account)

Produced by: Science Central Kitchen

Produced by: Beijing Science and Technology News | Science Plus Client

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