The map.
Welcome to the gut: one very long road with a whole town along it. Every bite rides the same route, in at Chomp Station and out past Downtown. Poke a pin. Collect the stamps.
The route, stop by stop
Food rides stops 1 to 8 in order. Bubble Works and The Tool Shed never get visitors; they send supplies down pipes. Stop 9 is the radio tower that runs the whole line.
The mouthChomp StationWhere every bite boards. Teeth, saliva and the first tool on the job.
The oesophagusThe WaterslideA muscular tube that squeezes lunch down. Gravity optional.
The stomachAcid LakepH about 1.5 to 3.5. Pepsin starts on protein; spores ride right through.
The liver and gallbladderBubble WorksBile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It’s a soap, not an enzyme.
The pancreasThe Tool ShedMakes protease, amylase and lipase, and sends them down to the small intestine.
The small intestineVilli VanilliVilli make about 30 m² of surface. Most digestion and absorption happen here.
The gut liningThe WallOne cell thick and renewed every few days. L-glutamine is a main fuel for its cells.
The colonDowntownWhere most gut microbes live. They ferment fibre into short-chain fatty acids (and gas).
The enteric nervous systemSecond Brain FMThe gut’s own nervous system: hundreds of millions of neurons, on the air all day.
Your passport
Every stop stamps your passport when you visit. Fill the whole book and the Frequent traveller sticker is yours.
Food travels one way through the gut: mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon.
The liver, gallbladder and pancreas never see food. They send help down pipes into the small intestine.
Passport · Channel GG
0 of 9 stamps
Park rules
- Food travels one way only.Mouth to colon, pushed along by waves of muscle.
- No swimming in Acid Lake.pH about 1.5 to 3.5. The lifeguard is decorative.
- Bubble Works makes soap, not enzymes.Bile breaks fat into droplets. It cuts nothing.
- Small pieces only past Villi Vanilli.The lining absorbs single sugars, amino acids and fatty acids.
- Downtown is noisy after dinner.Fermenting fibre makes gas. The neighbours are used to it.
- Second Brain FM takes no requests.The gut’s nervous system runs the squeezes on its own.
All aboard. First stop on Channel GG
Stop 1: Chomp Station
The mouth. Where every bite boards. Teeth, saliva and the first tool on the job.
