Hi Pals! Yes, it’s me again, but don’t worry I’ll disappear for a couple of days because I need some time away from screens in general. The weather is quite lovely and I’m going to spend some time with a friend this afternoon.
So without further ado, let me enlighten you regarding my question about penguins’ feet. I didn’t get a lot of replies yesterday so I suppose you had better things to do than contemplate the life of penguins and their feet. 😁 I’ll give you the answer anyway, in case one day you find yourself at a party with a gorgeous individual who you want to impress. And then: penguin fact. Tadaa. Anyway, penguins’ feet don’t freeze because penguins can control the rate of blood flow to the feet by varying the diameter of arterial vessels supplying the blood. In cold conditions, the flow is reduced, when it is warm the flow increases. Humans can do this too, which is why our hands and feet become white when we are cold and pink when warm. Control is very sophisticated and involves the hypothalamus and various nervous and hormonal systems. However, penguins also have ‘counter-current heat exchangers’ at the top of the legs. Arteries supplying warm blood to the feet break up into many small vessels that are closely allied to similar numbers of venous vessels bringing cold blood back from the feet. Heat flows from the warm blood to the cold blood, so little of it is carried down the feet. Aaand in the winter, penguin feet are held a degree or two above freezing – to minimise heat loss, whilst avoiding frostbite. Isn’t it amazing?
All right, so how are you going to warm up your cold feet and hands? HIIT? Strength training? I felt my shoulder yesterday (it wasn’t exactly sore but I didn’t want to bother it) so I didn’t work out. It’s an odd feeling. I mean I found it a lot harder to say no to working out but my body isn’t exactly behaving the way it used to so I’m more careful…
Have an easy day, Pals!
PS, this is a picture of my new plant. It’s a Zamioculcas zamiifolia (no idea what its everyday English name is). What shall I name it? Give me ideas, please.
Perspiration Pals 29 December 2022
Hi Pals! Yes, it’s me again, but don’t worry I’ll disappear for a couple of days because I need some time away from screens in general. The weather is quite lovely and I’m going to spend some time with a friend this afternoon.
So without further ado, let me enlighten you regarding my question about penguins’ feet. I didn’t get a lot of replies yesterday so I suppose you had better things to do than contemplate the life of penguins and their feet. 😁 I’ll give you the answer anyway, in case one day you find yourself at a party with a gorgeous individual who you want to impress. And then: penguin fact. Tadaa. Anyway, penguins’ feet don’t freeze because penguins can control the rate of blood flow to the feet by varying the diameter of arterial vessels supplying the blood. In cold conditions, the flow is reduced, when it is warm the flow increases. Humans can do this too, which is why our hands and feet become white when we are cold and pink when warm. Control is very sophisticated and involves the hypothalamus and various nervous and hormonal systems. However, penguins also have ‘counter-current heat exchangers’ at the top of the legs. Arteries supplying warm blood to the feet break up into many small vessels that are closely allied to similar numbers of venous vessels bringing cold blood back from the feet. Heat flows from the warm blood to the cold blood, so little of it is carried down the feet. Aaand in the winter, penguin feet are held a degree or two above freezing – to minimise heat loss, whilst avoiding frostbite. Isn’t it amazing?
All right, so how are you going to warm up your cold feet and hands? HIIT? Strength training? I felt my shoulder yesterday (it wasn’t exactly sore but I didn’t want to bother it) so I didn’t work out. It’s an odd feeling. I mean I found it a lot harder to say no to working out but my body isn’t exactly behaving the way it used to so I’m more careful…
Have an easy day, Pals!
PS, this is a picture of my new plant. It’s a Zamioculcas zamiifolia (no idea what its everyday English name is). What shall I name it? Give me ideas, please.