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[[Image:Navel lint ball.jpg|thumb|A ball of navel lint]]
[[Image:Navel lint ball.jpg|thumb|A ball of navel lint]]


'''Navel lint''', or more commonly '''belly button lint''' or '''navel fluff''', is an accumulation of fluffy fibres in one's [[navel]].
he's fat

Many people find that, at the beginning and end of the day, a small lump of fluff has appeared in the navel cavity. The reasons for this have been the subject of idle speculation for many years but in [[2001]], Dr. [[Karl Kruszelnicki]] of the [[University of Sydney]], [[Australia]], undertook a systematic survey to determine the ins and outs of navel lint. His primary findings were as follows:<ref>{{cite news|date=[[2001-12-11]]|title=Fluff gazing|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/60seconds/hi/english/your_views/newsid_1703000/1703851.stm|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

* Navel lint consists primarily of stray fibers from one's clothing, mixed with some dead skin cells and strands of [[body hair]].
* Contrary to expectations, navel lint appears to migrate upwards from underwear rather than downwards from shirts or tops. The migration process is the result of the frictional drag of body hair on underwear, which drags stray fibers up into the navel.
* Women experience less navel lint because of their finer and shorter body hairs. Conversely, older men experience it more because of their coarser and more numerous hairs.
* Navel lint's characteristic [[blue]]-[[gray]] tint is likely the averaging of the colors of fibers present in [[clothing]]; the same color as [[clothes dryer]] lint.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.feargod.net/fluff.html|title=The Incredible World of Navel Fluff|author=Graham Barker|work=Graham's Paddock}} &mdash; Barker is the Guinness world record holder for collecting Belly Button Fluff.</ref>
* The existence of navel lint is entirely harmless, and requires no corrective action.

Dr. Kruszelnicki was awarded the [[Ig Nobel Prize]] for Interdisciplinary Research in [[2002]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Not noble, but navel fluff study wins prize|author=Richard Macey|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/04/1033538773474.html|date=[[2002-10-05]]|work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref>

Graham Barker of [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Western Australia]], is in the [[Guinness Book of Records]] as the record holder for collecting navel lint. He has been collecting navel lint almost every day for over 20 years since 17th January 1984. He collects about 3.03 [[milligram|mg]] per day. Contrary to the research of Dr. Kruszelnicki, his lint is in a particular shade of [[red]], even though he rarely wears red clothes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fluff theory hits the button|date=[[2001-12-10]]|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=1968|publisher=Associated Metro Limited}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== See also ==
* [[Dandruff]]
* [[Lint]]
* [[Smegma]]

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/lint/|title=The Great Bellybutton Lint Survey|author=Karl Kruszelnicki|work=Q & A with Dr K|date=2001}}
* [http://www.coasttocoastam.com/gen/page666.html A tree grows in a man's navel lint]

[[Category:Fibers]]
[[Category:Abdomen]]
[[Category:Dermatology]]

[[ca:Borrissol del melic]]
[[es:Pelusilla del ombligo]]
[[he:מוך טבורי]]
[[nl:navelpluis]]
[[no:Navlelo]]
[[pl:Brudy w pępku]]
[[fi:Napanöyhtä]]

Revision as of 18:15, 7 December 2007

A ball of navel lint

Navel lint, or more commonly belly button lint or navel fluff, is an accumulation of fluffy fibres in one's navel.

Many people find that, at the beginning and end of the day, a small lump of fluff has appeared in the navel cavity. The reasons for this have been the subject of idle speculation for many years but in 2001, Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki of the University of Sydney, Australia, undertook a systematic survey to determine the ins and outs of navel lint. His primary findings were as follows:[1]

  • Navel lint consists primarily of stray fibers from one's clothing, mixed with some dead skin cells and strands of body hair.
  • Contrary to expectations, navel lint appears to migrate upwards from underwear rather than downwards from shirts or tops. The migration process is the result of the frictional drag of body hair on underwear, which drags stray fibers up into the navel.
  • Women experience less navel lint because of their finer and shorter body hairs. Conversely, older men experience it more because of their coarser and more numerous hairs.
  • Navel lint's characteristic blue-gray tint is likely the averaging of the colors of fibers present in clothing; the same color as clothes dryer lint.[2]
  • The existence of navel lint is entirely harmless, and requires no corrective action.

Dr. Kruszelnicki was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in 2002.[3]

Graham Barker of Perth, Western Australia, is in the Guinness Book of Records as the record holder for collecting navel lint. He has been collecting navel lint almost every day for over 20 years since 17th January 1984. He collects about 3.03 mg per day. Contrary to the research of Dr. Kruszelnicki, his lint is in a particular shade of red, even though he rarely wears red clothes.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Fluff gazing". BBC News. 2001-12-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Graham Barker. "The Incredible World of Navel Fluff". Graham's Paddock. — Barker is the Guinness world record holder for collecting Belly Button Fluff.
  3. ^ Richard Macey (2002-10-05). "Not noble, but navel fluff study wins prize". Sydney Morning Herald. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Fluff theory hits the button". Associated Metro Limited. 2001-12-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

See also