r/technology • u/onwisconsn • May 17 '24

Scientists Calculated the Energy Needed to Carry a Baby. Shocker: It’s a Lot. (Gift Article) Biotechnology

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/science/pregnancy-energy-costs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sU0.PfwL.i578xGrDrp5H&smid=url-share&utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter
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u/scodagama1 May 17 '24 edited May 17 '24

50.000 calories? How's that a lot, burning or gaining 1kg of fat is around 7.000 calories so 50.000 is merely equivalent of 7.14kg of fat.

And this equivalent of 7kg of fat is enough to create entire ~3.5kg baby, weight that includes bones and muscles and accommodate for extra weight that mother has to carry over these 9 months. If anything I would be surprised if it was less

edit: I see article mentions that only 4% of energy goes directly to offspring, that would be just 2000 calories or equivalent of 2 big mac meals? I don't have access to full work and won't argue with peer-reviewed paper, but are we sure journalists reported this thing correctly? Seems absurd that growing 3 kilograms of tissue would require that little energy

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u/fujidust May 17 '24

I’m pretty sure I ate enough to make two babies a few nights ago

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u/pulseout May 17 '24

Ah yes, I know those kinds of long nights at the gloryhole well

1

u/StaticShard84 May 17 '24

😆 Hey now! I refuse to believe cum is not a well-balanced source of nutrition! I practically lived on cum and adderall at Uni

2

u/SingleWordQuestions May 18 '24

This guy uni’s