Deflategate: The Mystery of Magically Disappearing Air

The biggest scandal since ‘Watergate’ occurred last weekend, Watergate being when  Sean Payton, Saints coach, put hits out on players, not mafia hits but more like target that guys knee because he needs surgery at the end of the season hits. In the Patriots 45-7 victory over the Colts, in the conference final, 11 out of 12 of Patriots allocated game balls were underinflated by 2 PSI from regulation. This scandal was cleverly titled ‘deflategate’, NFL have started to name their scandals ***gate since Patriots first scandal of their era known as ‘Spygate’.  I thought I’d scientifically discuss the advantages the quarterback and wide receivers have with a deflated ball in this week’s blog!

To put it simply you get a clear advantage from a deflated ball when it comes to throwing and catching. Miguel Morales, an associate professor at the University of Washington, stated a deflated ball was more easily gripped and deformed meaning a quarterback could throw the ball more accurately. A deflated ball will also decelerate less quickly allowing for higher yardage on throws. Add in the rain and wind factor that occurred in New England on game day and you have a hell of an advantage. Morales stated that “when the ball is slick, the squeezing action becomes more important.” A receiver also has the advantage when catching those tough catches, with a deflated ball a receiver is more easier to grip the ball with their hands and pull it into their chest and complete the catch.

Brady and Belichick both claim ignorance asking why would they do such a thing? The evidence is clear, they would’ve done it for a clear advantage in the wind and rain. There is a scientific explanation for what could’ve happened on the other hand. There is the chance that the pressure of a football filled in a warm room will drop once it is taken outside into the cold. Colder gas molecules move more slowly, and hence the pressure is less. That reason seems very unlikely as no other team this year has faced this issue or in recent memory for that matter, and it didn’t happen with the Colts balls who played in the same game.Teams play in the snow and there are no problems with deflation!

The Patriots will most likely get a hefty punishment but no one will ever know if they purposely did it or not. Maybe a ghost did it, or a leprechaun, or a football fairy? Where are the Scooby Gang when you need them!? (Got scooby on the brain after watching it yesterday!)

Thanks for reading everyone!

Damn really wish I could think of a scooby doo saying!

Bye bye now!

Teenage Magnet Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Heroes in a half shell

Turtle power!

I think that’s how that theme song starts anyway! You may be wondering why I’m talking about a bunch of human sized turtles, the reason being is that I was reminded of those freaky turtles in something I read today. It has been proven that sea turtles use the earth’s magnetic field to determine where to nest. I don’t know why it reminded me of large talking turtles that fight using ninja weapons but it did, using a magnetic field to find their nesting spot is just as amazing as talking fighting turtles right?

In a study of loggerhead sea turtles it shows they leave their home beaches, migrate over entire ocean basins before returning to their home beaches when they’re of age and nesting season occurs (Brothers & Lohmann, 2015). I don’t know about you but I couldn’t find the place I was born even if I had a map and a Sherpa! This study occurred over 19 years to get an accurate result which is a long time to follow turtles in my opinion!

It was shown that sea turtles nesting density vary with slight changes in Earth’s magnetic field. If a magnetic field grew smaller the turtles nesting became more condensed and if the magnetic field grew further apart the nesting became more spread out (Brothers & Lohmann, 2015). Those results show that sea turtles use geomagnetic cues to find their nesting beaches. The most likely explanation is that they imprint on their natal beaches unique magnetic signature and then use that imprint it find that beach when nesting season occurs (Brothers & Lohmann, 2015).  Similar mechanisms may explain natal homing in diverse long-distance migrants (Brothers & Lohmann, 2015), so other animals may also use the earth’s magnetic fields which are amazing!

 These little guys swim an oceans distance away and still find their way home, that’s as amazing as talking turtles and even more amazing because it’s actually true, that being said maybe the ninja turtles are just good at hiding in that sewer of theirs!? 

                              Teenage ninja turtles have nothing on sea turtles pretty much

                               using magnets to find their way home!

Thanks for reading,

Bye bye now

P.S. Go Greenbay, that’s relevant because their green like turtles!

 Brothers, J. R., & Lohmann, K. J. (2015). Evidence for Geomagnetic Imprinting and Magnetic Navigation in the Natal Homing of Sea Turtles. Amsterdam: Elsevier

Halving your workout in one easy step!

Hey everyone!

I’ve broken my arm and I’m a keen gym enthusiast so naturally I scoured the internet for some magical way that I could continue gyming. Of course I can still do legs but that’s no fun and I originally  thought it impossible to do any other upper body exercises without ending up with a popeye arm on one side and a twig on the other but guess what? I was wrong! For the past twenty years more and more studies have investigated what is called ‘cross education,’ basically speaking you work out one side while the other increases in strength. Is everyone amazed as I am? I hope so because from now on your workouts will be cut in half! (Ok that's a lie but still it's amazing)

This phenomenon has been proven but hasn’t been conclusively explained yet but there seems to be one theory which many have used to explain it. This theory is that unilateral resistance training induces adaptions within the motor areas that are namely involved in controlling the movements of the trained limb. When one side is worked out the untrained limb may access these modified neural circuits during voluntary contractions in ways which are similar to motor learning. Basically speaking your brain tells your untrained muscles that they should get stronger because the other side is, MIND BLOWN!

Ok earlier I may have oversold this concept, strength increases in the unworked side are only 5-25% while the other increases 25-35% and it does not seem to effect the hypertrophy of the untrained side. Still it is amazing to think that without doing anything the untrained side can get stronger, it’s like a magic pill that makes you lose weight without eating any better or working out!

                                           This might happen but at least the small side will

                                           get stronger!

You work out one side and the other doesn't fade away while getting stronger, guess I am doing more than just study until my arm heals.

Thanks for reading everyone,

Bye bye now