Death Fan
Fan death is a widely held belief in South Korea that an electric fan left running overnight in a closed room can cause the death of those sleeping inside. All fans sold in South Korea come with an automatic timer that turns the fan off after a certain number of minutes.[1]
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Origins of belief
The genesis of this misconception is unclear, but fears about electric fans date almost to their introduction in Korea, with stories dating to the 1920s and 1930s warning of the risks of nausea, asphyxiation, and facial paralysis from this "new technology".[2][3]
Some have speculated that the South Korean government created or perpetuated the myth as propaganda in order to curb the energy consumption of Korean households during the 1970s energy crisis.[2] This period was marked by short supply and high prices of oil, and coincided with the rule of President Park Chung-hee, who listed a self-reliant economy and modernization as his top goals, as announced in his Five Year Economic Development Plan.[4] This theory is based on the fact that reports of fan death first appeared in the 1970s.[citation needed]
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Proposed causes
Electric fans sold in Korea are equipped with a "timer knob" switch, which turns them off after a set number of minutes. This is perceived as a life-saving function, particularly essential for bed-time use.
There are several purported explanations for the precise mechanism which might result in death.
[edit]"Fans cause hypothermia"
Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature caused by inadequate thermoregulation in humans. As the metabolism slows down at night, one becomes more sensitive to temperature, and thus supposedly more prone to hypothermia. People who believe in this theory think that a fan operating in a closed room all night will lower the temperature of the room to the point of causing hypothermia.[5]
Empirical measurements show,
-------------------------------------------------
Origins of belief
The genesis of this misconception is unclear, but fears about electric fans date almost to their introduction in Korea, with stories dating to the 1920s and 1930s warning of the risks of nausea, asphyxiation, and facial paralysis from this "new technology".[2][3]
Some have speculated that the South Korean government created or perpetuated the myth as propaganda in order to curb the energy consumption of Korean households during the 1970s energy crisis.[2] This period was marked by short supply and high prices of oil, and coincided with the rule of President Park Chung-hee, who listed a self-reliant economy and modernization as his top goals, as announced in his Five Year Economic Development Plan.[4] This theory is based on the fact that reports of fan death first appeared in the 1970s.[citation needed]
-------------------------------------------------
Proposed causes
Electric fans sold in Korea are equipped with a "timer knob" switch, which turns them off after a set number of minutes. This is perceived as a life-saving function, particularly essential for bed-time use.
There are several purported explanations for the precise mechanism which might result in death.
[edit]"Fans cause hypothermia"
Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature caused by inadequate thermoregulation in humans. As the metabolism slows down at night, one becomes more sensitive to temperature, and thus supposedly more prone to hypothermia. People who believe in this theory think that a fan operating in a closed room all night will lower the temperature of the room to the point of causing hypothermia.[5]
Empirical measurements show,