A Moment of Science
Have you ever wondered why the sound of scraping a chalkboard seems so terrible to the human ear?
Fingernails. They're good for scratching, biting, clipping, and polishing. But what are they, in fact?
The thing is that hair is a lot tougher than skin. So the same chemicals that destroy the hair can also cause serious skin irritation–and possibly even chemical burns–if left on too long.
After death, the body begins to dry out as water evaporates from the skin. The skin of a corpse shrinks as a result, and the hair, nails and teeth may appear to lengthen as the skin draws back.
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