The human stomach is full of mysteries, and its acid is a formidable 'natural corrosive.' When you hear about a magician swallowing razor blades, it seems unbelievable, but do you know which surprisingly tough everyday item our stomach acid can actually break down?

Think a swallowed razor blade is dangerous? Well, it still is! But the power of stomach acid is truly astonishing. Dr. David F. Richards, a gastroenterologist at the University of North Carolina, detailed in a 2007 article in the *American Journal of Gastroenterology* that human stomach acid (primarily hydrochloric acid) typically has a pH between 1.5 and 3.5. This potent acidity is strong enough to effectively dissolve carbon steel razor blades. So, those magicians who swallow blades? If they're not specially prepared, they're seriously risking it! Still, don't try this at home; if you actually swallow one, you absolutely need to go to the hospital because your digestive tract isn't made of steel.