[Archived] Rat Hairs

[Ozz]

Ive just been at a pub quiz, where two of us managed to get 41/50 right. This got us into a tie break, and the question was... "Which TV channel started in 1982?"

After all the trouble had died down, I proposed a better-tie break question may have been "How may hairs are there on a rat's body?"

Some mobile phone based Googling ensue, with one particular result a bit disturbing...but the answer remained evasive.

So, how many hairs do you reckon a rat has on it's body?

[Tom]

86 million?

(Random number)

[Presty On Tour]

Apparently a human head with a full head of hair has on average 150,000 strands of hair. So with this knowledge and saying it's an average size rat, I would guess around 690,000 hairs?

[Exiled_Rover]

Ive just been at a pub quiz, where two of us managed to get 41/50 right. This got us into a tie break, and the question was... "Which TV channel started in 1982?"

After all the trouble had died down, I proposed a better-tie break question may have been "How may hairs are there on a rat's body?"

Some mobile phone based Googling ensue, with one particular result a bit disturbing...but the answer remained evasive.

So, how many hairs do you reckon a rat has on it's body?

What trouble was that? It's Channel 4, no?

[T4E]

I'm guessing the trouble was that everyone knew the answer, thus not adequately breaking the tie.

[LeChuck]

A good friend of mine keeps rats, I just asked her "how many hairs does your rat have on it?". She hit me. I don't think we're friends any more. Thanks.

[colin]

What trouble was that? It's Channel 4, no?

And the first programme was "Countdown" wasn't it?

Come on Ossie, pay attention

[bob fleming]

And the first programme was "Countdown" wasn't it?

It certainly was Countdown. And of course it was Channel 4. Which everyone knows. Probably.

The rat question. It's a toughie. Depends on the type of rat I'd have thought. There are three main types; brown rat, black rat and of course the dirty rat. I've checked on that Google and can't see any definitive answers. Possibly because no one has been daft enough to count them. They're not very clean you know.

I'll take a guess; between 300 and 315 hairs - everything else you see on their big mucky mouse like bodies is just dirt, crap and stuff.

One final thought, remember you're never more than 20 metres away from a Man U fan. Something really should be done before they get out of hand.

[Ozz]

All three teams knew the answer was Channel 4, including myself Colin. Not exactly the most testing of tie breakers really was it, a room full of 30 YO plus men should really know the answer to that. Hence the trouble...which was only quelled when I made my superior sugestion for a tie break. Most of the pub got involved and it became heated , one guy actually went home and got his laptop out and searched online.

I had been to bar then bog after we handed the scores in, thinking we would not win. As I came out my other team mate came running across the pub, shoved a piece of paper in my face with Channel 4 written on it and shouted "Is this right! Is this right?!"

Anyway the debate continues, I still reckon it would be about 10,000 odd.

[colin]

Ossie.

take a cat

Here

and downsize it to a rat.

Then divide by Pi r squared.

Or something.

I love it when pub quizzes turn serious.

The problem is that if no-one knows the answer then it can't be a question. Can it?

[Majiball]

A good friend of mine keeps rats, I just asked her "how many hairs does your rat have on it?". She hit me. I don't think we're friends any more. Thanks.

LOL.

We have some in the labs, I could ask a fresher to shave one and count them?

[Plastic Head]

Ive just been at a pub quiz, where two of us managed to get 41/50 right. This got us into a tie break, and the question was... "Which TV channel started in 1982?"

After all the trouble had died down, I proposed a better-tie break question may have been "How may hairs are there on a rat's body?"

Some mobile phone based Googling ensue, with one particular result a bit disturbing...but the answer remained evasive.

So, how many hairs do you reckon a rat has on it's body?

None once i've shaved it.

[philipl]

I think there is a naturally occuring hairless rat that lives in some caves somewhere...