[KS] KBS: R.I.P. Fan Death

[ken.kaliher at us.army.mil]

   Fellow followers of the alleged phenomenon of "fan death" (stubborn assertions of which are perhaps Korea's best known contribution to urban folklore) may be interested to know that KBS-TV Monday evening broadcast news of a scientific experiment which purported to put the kibosh on the fan death theory once and for all.  Korean researchers compared body temperature and other measurements for subjects sleeping in rooms with fans, air conditioners, and neither, and found absolutely no evidence to support fears of fatal fan exposure.
   Not to worry, though.  The famous fan phobia has survived numerous medical and scientific rebuttals over the years, and will probably outlive us all.  Especially those of us who sleep with a fan on in a closed room....
   (If you're unfamiliar with the issue, check out fandeath.net, Wikipedia, straightdope.com, or any other of the 32,800 hits a Google search on "fan death" produces.)

Ken Kaliher
Seoul and Pyongtaek

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Phone:  -82-11-9652-3192 (011- in Korea)
Back-up E-mail:  kenkaliher at hotmail.com
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"Reciprocity, which means treating our counterpart the same way as we are treated, will only bring frequent crisis and confrontation. Reciprocity may sound good, but it does not help public safety and peace."
  -- Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, quoted on his policy toward North Korea in the July 19 Dong-a Ilbo