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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science

Putting a finger on how to weigh hands

Archimedes Emma Beddington Ryanair
Woman’s hand touching surface of water.
John Pye cannot understand how Emma Beddington calculated the weight of each hand. Photograph: Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

I was intrigued by Emma Beddington’s article on the weight of human hands (14 August). I would love to learn how she was able to ascertain the values of 409g and 426g respectively for right and left mitts without amputation. The only other way I can think of is partial immersion in water and the invocation of Archimedes, but that would need a very special balance.
John Pye
Southampton

• Like the Jaffes (Ryanair charges elderly couple £110 after they download wrong boarding cards, 15 August), I made an error in a travel booking. I booked my car on to the 02:00 Dublin to Holyhead ferry, but joined the queue for the 2:00pm sailing. I was mortified by my mistake at check-in, but the officer said: “No charge. Don’t worry, I’ll get you on. We’re not Ryanair.”
Michael Hudson
Lincoln

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