The perils of a powerful memory

The general consensus of a powerful memory is that it's a true blessing from nature and something that all people desire in their own lives. Those that suffer with various memory related problems will tell of the frustration of an inability to recall specific events, whether these be recent, or from many years ago. Even if fortunate enough to go through life without experiencing such a problem, you will be aware that the ability of your memory will naturally diminish as you mature, leading to many of the same symptoms. If there is to be an occurrence of such an affliction in this area of brain function, it is always in regards to forgetting events and never the reverse, which would be remembering too much. On the surface, this supposed example may seem positive and beneficial, but upon deeper inspection, if every minute detail of your life could be remembered, even inconsequential events such as reading a newspaper or turning on a mechanical device, your mind would be so preoccupied with such things that it would be difficult to pick out important memories which should obviously take precedence over these.

This is the very affliction that haunts the mind of a woman from California. Exhibiting an ability which would not be out of place in a gifted savant, she can recall nearly every event in her life and in chronological order. This ability of hers has been evident since childhood and as alluded to before, has been a hindrance rather than an advantage in life. After deciding to seek help in relation to her affliction, she contacted specialists at the university of California in the hope that they could provide a solution to this rare problem. For obvious reason, they were dubious of her claims initially, but after routinely testing her on the details of events from the distant past, with the aid of a historical almanac, came to the conclusion that she was genuine. Every question posed was answered correctly, with her memory so accurate and with such fine attention to detail that she even corrected certain mistakes printed in the book itself.

She describes the ability of her memory as being akin to a movie, with every event recorded in staggering detail, giving her the power to recall them from years ago. In a televised interview, she gave insight into this phenomena stating  that while talking at that particular time, she could also be reminiscing on obscure events which occurred way back in 1982. One painful effect pertaining to this is her ability to recall emotional responses in conjunction with the events surrounding them, whereas in a normal person, a portion of these emotions, such as the hurtful, negative variety would be easily forgotten. The human mind has a fantastic ability to bury hurtful emotions deep in the recesses of our mind and for good reason as nobody wants to recall such things. If this is absent, it's easy to imagine the negative impact that these constantly recurring, negative emotions could induce on a person.

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The rapid ageing effects of progeria

Premature ageing is a condition which will concern anybody who has a fair degree of vanity. The thought of a receding hair line, or developing early facial wrinkles induces fear in many people who routinely go to extraordinary lengths to retain their youthful looks. Symptoms such as these may give the impression of a person being ten to twenty years older than they are in reality and yet, that's usually the limit to it's severity. To put this minor concern into context, it pales in comparison to the rapid ageing process of an extremely rare condition affecting a small minority of children. This is known as progeria.

This genetic disorder is so rare in fact, that it only occurs once in every eight million births worldwide, giving the sufferer the look of somebody much older than they actually are. The appearance of the disease is not evident after the initial birth of a child, but symptoms begin to manifest after a few months. The onset of the condition is not too dissimilar to malnourishment, with the subject appearing lighter than they should with a general appearance of fragility. The extreme conditions for which it has become infamous develop later in life and become more pronounced throughout the ageing process. There are a whole host of these, including a look of advanced age, arthritis, various respiratory problems and kidney failure.

This gives the curious impression of an elderly person residing in the body of a small child with a whole host of age related medical problems to accompany it. Unfortunately, the ageing effects are not just restricted to the visual, they also take their toll in a physical manner with the body suffering as though it were the same age as it's deceptive appearance, making it susceptible to everything from hip displacement to general muscle atrophy. There is no known cure for the disease at this time, despite experiments in a variety of medical fields which unfortunately have not proven successful. It is said that the accelerated ageing rate of the disease is between eight to ten times faster than that of an average person and as a result, very few afflicted with it live beyond the age of thirteen years. One curious fact to ponder, however, is that as the body ages in this manner, the mind may potentially follow suit with the sufferer displaying an intelligence that is recorded as being between average to high, this has not been conclusively proven however.

Real voodoo curse, or nocebo induced harm?

Many people believe in a theory where the body can be effected in both positive and negative ways depending on the mental thoughts of a person at that specific time. Although it's effects have been perceived before, it's not considered a real science and in some sceptic's eyes, there is no evidence proving otherwise. The version most people are familiar with is the practice of producing thoughts to bring about positive physical effects, known almost universally as the placebo. Many experiments have been undertaken and have followed the same pattern, with a group of people suffering from a particular ailment being split into two smaller groups, with one given a genuine medicine, proven to be effective in treating their affliction and the second with nothing other than sugar cubes injected with water masquerading as the very same thing. The first group were cured as expected, but in many cases the second also arrived at the same result, despite the absence of the same proven medicine being administered. Even though the water was essentially useless, it's the patients own unshakeable belief that it will cure them that brings about the positive change. That is a placebo.

With the positive side of this belief having only the ability to help the patient meant that it could be tested medically, safe in the knowledge that no harm would come to him. But the same cannot be said for its polar opposite which is the lesser known nocebo. As a result, information regarding it is scarce. A fine analogy of this reaction, however, would be the voodoo curses of various African tribes. The curse is purely fictional, but the victim's belief in it induces the body to act as though it's a reality, with real physical harm being the inevitable outcome. The best account of this curiosity is the alleged curse of Vance Vanders. Despite many attesting to the truth of the tale with four medical professionals being in attendance during the event itself, recorded details were either not taken or simply lost, leading many to the false conclusion that the event was purely a work of fiction.

Vance Vanders was an Alabama local who had the misfortune of getting involved in an unfortunate altercation with the resident witch doctor. He was a man with a firm belief in voodoo from the outset and so was understandably shaken when presented with an open bottle and told after inhaling it's contents, that he would suffer an untimely demise as a result of the alleged curse. With no doubt in his mind as to the reality of the situation, Vance quickly deteriorated and became bed stricken. Days later, he was taken to hospital, but to no avail, as doctors could not arrive at the source of his problems. After a belated admission from his wife pertaining to the curse, a certain Dr Drayton Doherty came up with an ingenious idea to turn the nocebo's effects on their head.

The Doctor deliberately lied to Vance's family, stating that he had confronted the man responsible and after physically choking him, made him confess to implanting lizard's eggs in his stomach, with both hatching and yet only one surviving. He told them that the only way to lift the curse was to extract the remaining lizard. Despite it being non existent, he gave Vance the impression of performing a real operation in which he administered an emetic to help him pass the creature in a natural manner. Incredibly, he shot up and proceeded to gag, culminating in physical sickness. The doctor, using the distraction to his advantage, bought out a lizard which had been obtained previous to the event and promptly displayed it as evidence of a successful operation. The trick, suffice to say, had the desired effect with Vance making a full and rapid recovery. Is it conclusive evidence of the influence the mind can obtain over the body? After all, how do you explain Mr Vanders sudden deterioration and his prompt recovery after two events manifested through fiction? The power of the mind may be more influential than you think.

The curious relationship between male and female Angler fish

On the surface, there seems to be a very plausible reason for the inclusion of the deep sea angler fish into this blog, namely it's curious, grotesque appearance which seldom fails to fascinate. However, despite the obvious, there are a further two reasons which are relatively unknown to most, but are equally impressive. The first of these is in relation to the strange protrusion emanating from it's forehead. This thin, curved spine ending in a bulbous growth is used as a specialised lure to draw the creatures prey towards it, a useful tool considering the fishes predisposition to slow movement through the water. It is also highly maneuverable, however, with the fish often remaining stationary in the water and waving it in numerous directions, ensuring it's food source comes to it, rather than resorting to traditional hunting methods.

Without doubt, the most fascinating aspect of this species is the relationship between the male and female, with the former being much smaller in scale and often coloured black, in contrast to the red of the opposite gender. With the male reaching maturity, it's digestive system is rendered useless and must seek out a partner for both self preservation and reproduction. Once located, the male bites into the body of his partner and releases an enzyme which essentially melts and fuses his mouth, to her flesh, resulting in a lifelong union between the two, with the male receiving nutrition from her food intake and becoming a kind of curious parasite, of sorts!

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The colossal honey mushroom

When pondering the question of what could be the largest living organism in the world, I'm sure certain creatures will spring instantly to mind for obvious reasons, with the undisputed colossus of the seas, the whale, on the lips of many people who falsely believe they've stumbled across the correct answer. To arrive at such a conclusion is understandable, considering their impressive physical size and yet, they would be wrong. There does exist a definitive answer to this, which due to it's shock value, is always guaranteed to surprise many people. The organism in question is Armillaria Ostoyae, more commonly known as the Honey Mushroom.

The main part of its body is located beneath the earth, which consists of a tangled mass of ever extending tentacles called rhizomorphs which the species uses to invade neighbouring trees for the purpose of extracting nutrients. What's visible on the surface, however, belies it's gargantuan size, presenting itself as just another mushroom with no relevant difference to any other species you may have come across. It's subterranean section is known for rapid expanse over hundreds of miles as it continues it's never ending quest for food sources, a result of the fungus killing off anything in it's vicinity and having to  continually extend it's search over a wider radius.

One such impressive fungus was known as being the largest for quite some time, spawning across an area of approximately six hundred hectares in the state of Washington, until the discovery of a gargantuan colony residing in the Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon, which dwarfed it in terms of size, measuring some eight hundred and ninety hectares across. It was identified after a large area of the forest's trees began to die off mysteriously, with the fungus identified as the eventual culprit. This number itself, hardly does the scale justice with a mentally visual comparison required to fully comprehend its enormity. For this purpose, it is equal to one thousand six hundred football fields which is an incredible area for one organism to occupy.

Although it's not fully understood how the species attains such a size, it's theorized that the dry weather conditions could be a decisive factor as these prove detrimental to the fungus, killing off many newly formed colonies and leaving the larger, older and more established ones to thrive without competition. There seems to be a delicious irony in the tale as the humble mushroom is always perceived as being diminutive in nature and yet one of it's many species proudly holds the title of the world's largest living organism!

The tragic tale of Edward Mordrake

Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of human deformities, some so extreme that they never cease to fascinate. There have been many varying types from conjoined twins to people with extra limbs. Some of these unfortunate people have actually attained a modicum of celebrity status from their afflictions and in some cases, have created careers deriving from their differences, becoming financially prosperous as a result. Those in question have become common knowledge amongst the public, one fine example being Joseph Merrick, otherwise referred to as the Elephant Man, due to his extreme facial deformities which were routinely observed as he toured with various circus freak shows early in life.

There exists one case, however, which is relatively unknown to most, but due to the nature of the deformity, must rank as one of the most intriguing and yet, macabre examples ever discovered. The person in question was Edward Mordrake who was born an English nobleman to a wealthy family of nobility. The story takes us back to the nineteenth century but other details regarding it are scarce with a lot of the background history lost in the annals of time. As a result of little verifiable evidence and conclusive photographic material, a long standing argument remains active as to whether this was a real event or an urban myth bought about by a vivid imagination.

Edward was born with a second "parasitic" face located on the back of his head. It was smaller in nature than his own and resembled a malevolent female of sorts. Supposed proof of his parasite's evil characteristics were displayed at times of upset and grief for young Edward as whenever he cried or whimpered, his demon accomplice was seen to laugh or snigger in reply, with no evidence of empathy or compassion for him. One contradiction in the story relates to it's inability to speak, with it's lips murmuring constantly as if doing so, but without sound. Yet Edward would tell of his mental anguish every night as it deprived him of sleep by talking incessantly about "things from hell" and other nightmarish horrors.

Edward committed suicide at the tender age of twenty three, with some accrediting it to the mental torture he endured at the hands of his demon face and it's ceaseless taunts haunting him every night. In life he begged surgeons and doctors to remove the affliction, but as a result of it's anatomical location, this was impossible. So horrified of it's existence, Edward couldn't even contemplate the thought of sharing his body with his demon partner in death which is evidenced by a short passage in his suicide note which read “ lest it continues its dreadful whisperings in my grave” Whether real or a work of fiction, the story will always retain a certain "haunting" quality to it.

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The stunning black rose of Halfeti

Although there are many varying shades, tones and colours of roses throughout the world, the classic red species is the staple image that comes to mind when on the subject of this popular flower. However, there is a region within Turkey, close to the Euphrates river by the name of Halfeti, which happens to be the indigenous home of the world's only black rose. This rare beauty wouldn't be possible without the unique soil conditions and rare composition of ground water running in from the aforementioned river. The local people of the region have contrasting beliefs about this flower. Some say it is a symbol of mystery, while others denounce it as a prophecy of death!

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