If on average, a person eats 8 spider in their sleep per year and assuming that no one other than one person ever ate a spider in their sleep, someone eats 64 billion spiders in their sleep per year

RandomVideos@programming.dev to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world – -23 points –

If they only swallow spiders that are 0.1 mg, they would consume 6400 tons of spiders every year

If they only consume spiders that are 175 g, they would swallow 11.2 billion tons of spiders every year

Edit: i know its a myth, thats why i said "if"

13

For one, the myth is that people swallow 8 spiders per year not per night.

Another, its a myth. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/swallow-spiders/

The myth goes deeper.
The story of Lisa Holst originating this myth as a spoof fact is also a myth.

Neither the supposed journalists, Lisa Holst, nor the magazine, PC Professional, exist.

The hunt is on for the earliest reference. Probably on a newsnet group.

https://www.snopes.com/lisa-birgit-holst/

Usenet could potentially have the earliest online reference, but this myth could be ancient. Spiders and humans have always coexisted.

8 per night? Good Lord no, it's 8 PER HOUR. They're literally lining up to jump into your mouth. Check your toothbrush for legs and silk. Usually a sore throat just means one bit you on the way down.

Upvoted because this is one of the most unhinged shower thought posts I've seen, and I want some of whatever you're smoking

Lemmino did a very thorough video on this myth. I highly recommend checking it out.

I especially enjoy that the original authors name is an anagram that strikes me as too fitting to be a coincidence.

https://youtu.be/OjlKIjLWq-Y?si=nImo8Dk2wdmxUuVp

thanks lemmy for this beautiful shower thought :)

8 spiders in their sleep every night

every night

OP... the myth is every year.

And per year is also a lie. People don't swallow spiders in their sleep.