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Zach Harris

@zachharris.eth

The Egyptian Wheat & Barley Test (Endocrinology) The Superstition: An Egyptian papyrus from 1350 BC advised women to urinate on bags of wheat and barley seeds. If the seeds sprouted, she was pregnant. (Folklore also claimed wheat meant a boy and barely a girl). The Science: In 1963, researchers tested this and found it had 70โ€“85% accuracy. The urine of pregnant women is rich in estrogen and progesterone, which are powerful plant growth stimulants. Non-pregnant urine did not trigger the same rapid sprouting.
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