The tiny bodies of bats allow perfect balance between flight costs and heat dissipation

webfull — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:33:36 +0000

Many mammal species living in cold climates tend to have large bodies and short limbs to reduce heat loss – a general pattern known as Bergmann’s rule. However, bats are the exception to the rule, displaying small body sizes in both hot and cold regions. A McGill-led team of researchers is shedding light on this long-standing debate over bats’ body sizes and focus on why bats are seemingly non-conforming to ecogeographical patterns found in other mammals. Their findings offer a new method for investigating complex macroecology across bat species.

Published: 21 July 2022

Puffins stay cool thanks to their large beak

webfull — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 14:30:06 +0000

Tufted puffins regulate their body temperature thanks to their large bills, an evolutionary trait that might explain their capacity to fly for long periods in search for food.

In a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers from �㽶��Ƶ and the University of California, Davis, used thermal imaging cameras to measure heat dissipation off the bodies and beaks of wild tufted puffins in the minutes after flying.

Published: 27 November 2019

�㽶��Ƶ News - Thermoregulation

The tiny bodies of bats allow perfect balance between flight costs and heat dissipation

Puffins stay cool thanks to their large beak