We all know the story of Pinocchio, a wooden boy who was told that if he was a good boy someday he might be a real one as well, and just to make sure he was honest, his lies were made as plain to all as the nose on his face.
This tale is (along with the fabled flaming pants of course) a valuable tale in the arsenal of accessible life lessons, and the value of honesty, but there could be some truth to it too.
No, your nose will not grow when you tell a lie, but it will catch on fire, sort of. It would seem that a rise in temperature in the olfactory vicinity happens when we’re less than honest.
I don’t know how useful this will be in telling if someone is lying to you. I suppose it depends on how comfortable you are with adding, “May I determine the temperature of your nose?” to your interrogation routine. Plus, that means you’ll have to have a base temperature, which adds a whole other step and is further complicated by this being the flu season. The accused may have the beginnings of a fever…who knows? Point is, before you know it a simple nose temperature experiment in interrogation has turned into a huge ordeal and who needs that?
However, you will feel the burn when you start to fib. Gives the phrase “the nose knows” a whole new meaning. Also, don’t lie. Problem solved.
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NBC News: ‘Pinocchio’ wasn’t a lie; The nose reacts when you fib
…bi-daily smile…
What else would you post on 12/12/12?
