The challenge
Hold your forearm horizontal with your palm up. Press a finger firmly on a vein near your wrist, then slide another finger up the vein toward your elbow. Release the lower finger. What do you observe?
Objective
Observe the function of venous valves directly on your own body.
Materials
Your forearm and two fingers.
Description
Venous valves are one-way gates that keep blood moving toward the heart against gravity. Without them, blood would pool in the legs. This experiment was first described by William Harvey in 1628 to demonstrate blood circulation. It is a rare opportunity to observe a physiological mechanism of your own body with no equipment at all.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venous_valve
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