• Question: is our hair alive or dead

    Asked by chez to Aimee, Gemma, Hussain, Robert, Ross on 15 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Hussain Jaffery

      Hussain Jaffery answered on 15 Nov 2015:

      Great question. Hair is the dead protein material that comes out of a living micro-organ, called that hair-follicle. This is why when you pull hair it hurts, as the follicle is disturbed. When you cut it, it doesn’t hurt, because no cells or nerves grow around it once it has grown out.

    • Photo: Aimee Goodall

      Aimee Goodall answered on 16 Nov 2015:

      In a way it is both alive and dead. Just imagine your hair as being a window looking back in time. So when the hair grows at the follicle (bit attached to your head) it shows the conditions which lead to its formation, but this changes over time. By looking at peoples hair we can see what people have been eating, taking drugs or even some medical issues.

      It depends on how long your hair actually is but some people use it to see years into the past! :O If you look at Gandalf’s hair you might even be able to see what he did 100 years ago 😉

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