3 A.M. Thoughts is a compilation of short articles about random topics that I have asked as I stare at my ceiling while suffering from insomnia. We will cover topics from the most stolen food in the world to babies mustaches (yes, this is seriously a thing). It’ll be a funny, weird, and slightly crazy ride and you might learn something. Nothing of real world use of course, but if teachers can make you learn calculus, then I can make you learn… some other stuff. 

Rainbow Conditions 

Flamingos get their pink color from the fish they eat. The more fish the more pink they get. Well, could people, if genetically engineered, be different colors. That’d bring a whole new meaning to taste the rainbow. The Blue Fugates are known to be blue. Now How you may ask? My dear reader, you should know by now I'll tell you.

 The Fugates get their blue color from a genetic disorder. It all started in the 1910’s when Martin Fugate and  Elizabeth Smith had got married and had a baby. Important side note, in Kentucky during the 1910’s transportation was hard to come by. Their kid ended up committing incest. The incest helps keep the blue skin going, because family members are more likely to have the genetic trait. This genetic mutation is called methemoglobinemia. Don’t ask me how it’s pronounced I’m as lost as you. There are two ways methemoglobinemia can be gained: through hereditary means or by ingesting specific medications or foods. Methemoglobinemia is a side effect of overproduction of methemoglobin. This makes it so that oxygen distribution is difficult to pass through body tissues, causing the blue color to appear.   

We have blue but, are there any other colors? Red could be achieved from sunburn. Orange and yellow could be from carotenemia or a yellow/orange discoloration of the skin. This is commonly caused by ingesting too much carotene. I was doubtful I would find a way for someone to get green skin, and then Hyperbilirubinemia showed up (along with several others so If we want to talk about green skin causing conditions just let me know.) Anyway, what in the world is Hyperbilirubinemia? Well, reader if you want to become green all you need is to increase serum levels of biliverdin along with biliary obstruction and/or liver failure. The last color we need is purple. Now the Blue fugates can be a bit of a purple color along with blue. There is a similar condition called cyanosis. Cyanosis is caused by lack of oxygen in the blood. 

I’m very surprised to say that we have successfully found a condition that causes red, orange/yellow, green, blue, or purple skin. We didn’t even have to try and genetically engineered the colors. Roses are red, Violets are blue. This was a success, farewell, all of you.