A Human Hiccup

An involuntary spasm that serves absolutely no known purpose/Events & Phenomena

A hiccup is an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm followed by a rapid closure of the vocal cords, producing the characteristic 'hic' sound. Each hiccup lasts about 35 milliseconds and involves a diaphragm contraction force of about 50 newtons. The longest recorded case of hiccups lasted 68 years (Charles Osborne, 1922-1990). Despite extensive research, the biological purpose of hiccups remains unknown — they may be a vestigial reflex from our amphibian ancestors.