If Americans are statistically more obese than denizens of other countries, a study should be conducted to see if all that fat acts as a sort of armor against bomb and gun attacks, and if this might have been taken into consideration by the Taliban and might thus explain why there have been so few attacks following September 11.-- 21 Quest, Aug 09 2013 Bigger targets are more likely to be hit. Low metabolism victims are harder to starve, regardless of start weight. Poison... nothing obvious. Bet fat folks float longer in the ocean.-- popbottle, Aug 09 2013 Slower metabolism means poisons will take longer to spread, and more bulk means it'll likely take a larger dose to produce an effect.-- 21 Quest, Aug 09 2013 Maybe propose this idea to that show that uses ballistics gel and computers to determine the outcome of armed conflicts.-- rcarty, Aug 09 2013 It would be more effective except the paramedics are also obese and take longer to get to the scene.-- FlyingToaster, Aug 09 2013 @ rcarty, I presume you mean 'Deadliest Warrior'. That show was cancelled after season 3.
@ FT, unless they're moving downhill.-- 21 Quest, Aug 09 2013 The mythbusters gave this one a shot and found that having extra fat or muscle will do nothing at all for you if you get shot. The results would probably be about the same for shrapnel.-- DIYMatt, Aug 10 2013 //elephant or cow
Ah that's where the cheap meat product in [name of UK supermarket redacted] comes in, it's a virtual cornucopia of animal dna...that deserves it's own post.-- not_morrison_rm, Aug 11 2013 // Maybe propose this idea to that show that uses ballistics gel and computers to determine the outcome of armed conflicts. //
Maybe propose this idea to use actual obese Americans to determine the outcome of armed conflicts. After all, there are plenty to use up.-- 8th of 7, Aug 11 2013 I like it. We can do scaled-down laboratory tests using obese cats. This definitely needs to be tested... fat folks have a lot going for them. Extra padding for protection of vital organs against shrapnel and flying debris, extra mass and slower metabolism for protection against small doses of airborne biological/ chemical agents, extra buoyancy for increased survivalibilty in airplane/ship crashes at sea, etc.
On the other hand, they are larger targets and thus more likely to be struck by shrapnel and flying debris, as well as flying bullets in mass shootings. They are also generally slower-moving targets and can't evacuate a targeted area as quickly, and you can't get as many through a doorway. They generally don't have as much stamina/endurance as a fitter person, so they can't run as far. They're often heavier, and therefor can't as easily be carried by rescue personnel, and often have other medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart & breathing problems which may make them more susceptible to smoke and airborne chemical agents.
This needs to be tested, damn it!-- 21 Quest, Aug 11 2013 Wanted: Fat cats for ballistic testing. Call 555-fats-- popbottle, Aug 11 2013 random, halfbakery