Science in Seconds - Grim Reaper

Science in Seconds Know Everything RUMOURS - Grim Reaper Brit Trogen: In a phenomenon that doctors are at a loss to explain, patients at a nursing home in Rhode Island are being visited by a mysterious creature just hours before their deaths. His name is Oscar. OK, he's a little fluffier than I always thought the Grim Reaper would be, but Oscar has successfully predicted the deaths of 50 patients at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He's generally antisocial and spends his days wandering the halls, ignoring or even hissing at the living residents. But every time he curls up next to someone and starts purring, they die within hours. And Oscar is never wrong. No, he isn't carrying some horrible, contagious disease. And while no one knows for sure how he does it, one possible explanation involves the chemicals that are given off by people who are just about to die. The prime candidates to explain Oscar's morbid "superpower" are ketones, which are released during cell death and give off a sickly, sweet odor that even humans can detect in high concentrations. Oscar could have been born with an innate ability to smell these chemicals under the skin of those, nearest death's door, and even creepier, a natural liking for them. Ketones are also produced during diabetic episodes and prolonged periods of fasting. So Oscar's reaction to a dieting diabetic might be able to solve the mystery for good and give the visitor a good scare in the process. But in the meantime, if you feel the cuddly paw of death kneading at your shoulder, you'd best get your affairs in order. Courtesy of Science in Seconds – All rights reserved Only for educational/non-profit purposes. (Translators are invited to put their name here)