Modern Mechanix found this gem in the February, 1930 issue of Modern Mechanics. According to 1930′s scientists, the human body produces enough heat to cook potatoes.
Scientists have learned that our bodies are living machines of the combustion type in which the burning of fuel (food) is accompanied by the consumption of oxygen, liberation of heat energy and production of carbon dioxide as is the case in all combustion engines. Scientists find that the heat from a single person, if properly focussed, would be sufficient to cook potatoes.
Hey, if you’re cool with looking like a B-movie robot for a few potatoes, more power to you. Just don’t surprised when your friends call you Mr. Potato Head. [Modern Mechanix via Boing Boing]
TechnoBabbler
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 4:58 PMErm that machine is for measuring oxygen consumption. Not cooking potatos.
It’s written on the image :-P
BMac
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 6:12 AMYeah I was about to say that. Good work giz
Matt L
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:19 AMI think you guys missed the point… I found it funny that the best use for this energy was for potato cooking… It’s a testimate to that era.
MDD
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 1:55 AMYes no-one had computers or most of the electricity loving devices we enjoy back then.. Cooking was probably the only use of energy in the house, well, the energy could be used to run 2567 Wireless receiving sets and 467 phonographs, so cooking was deemed a humorous and common comparison…