Pyramid power
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[edit] Definition
Pyramid power is the notion that a regular square-based pyramid, simply by virtue of its shape, can cause miraculous phenomena to occur within its boundaries that would not occur inside other shapes.
Among the claims made by its proponents are:
- Razor blades placed inside a pyramid will be sharpened
- Fruits placed inside a pyramid will stay fresh longer
- Brain activity will be enhanced by wearing a pyramid-shaped hat
[edit] Origin
When the ancient pyramids of the Giza Plateau in Egypt first began to be excavated, the mummified corpses entombed within them (along with many of the accompanying artifacts) were discovered to be in remarkably good condition for their age.
In 1973, G. Pat Flanagan's book Pyramid Power popularized the notion that the pyramidal shape had magical properties, and gave the notion its name.
[edit] Discussion
Episode #32 of Mythbusters attempted an informal test of this very phenomenon. After obtaining no significant difference between the sharpness of razor blades and the freshness of produce stored within a pyramid, versus the same items stored within non-pyramidal boxes of about the same size, Adam admonished the other Mythbusters not to test such a woo-woo myth on their show again.
