Can we settle this: how many holes does a straw have?

RealNooshie@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 237 points –

At work we somehow landed on the topic of how many holes a human has, which then evolved into a heated discussion on the classic question of how many holes does a straw have.

I think it's two, but some people are convinced that it's one, which I just don't understand. What are your thoughts?

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What if you tie a knot in the straw? Still one?

Just copying my response to another comment asking the same:

That doesn't change the topology though. Or at least you can't without it no longer being a straw.

A straw is the product of a circle and an interval. Either the knot doesn't fully seal the interval, meaning it's topology is maintained, or you completely seal the straw, changing it from 1 long interval to 2 separate intervals, changing the object entirely.

In this situation, the straw would not be completely sealed. It is clearly inefficient, but technically there exists a path for which there is a level of force that could applied that would make the straw function.

Just tried it... I can't suck liquid through.

Thats because you have weak-ass lips. Your mom could do it no problem.

My mom is dead... I asked your mom she said she sucks golf balls through hoses on the weekend as a warm up before hitting all the town glory holes

Just so we are all on the same page here... Y'all down voted science, you plebs

if it doesn't go all the way through anymore, is it even a hole? zero.