Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts

Cat in Cold Draft

"Where is the cold draft coming from?"
 
   Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan  ✴
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
     Australian Blog                         
ALL BLOG ARTICLES· ──► (BLOG HOME PAGE)

Frozen Dog

"how long have you been out here George?  You are frozen stiff."
Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan
     Australian Blog                         
ALL BLOG ARTICLES· ──► (BLOG HOME PAGE)

Summer Snow Falls in Australia

The weather is changing everywhere. It is not only getting hotter and more humid, i.e., rain; it is also getting colder in some places. The climate is erratic. It is all over the place. Peak summer in Australia is December and January. There is snow in the Australian Alps. This is unheard of. A cycling event on the weekend could be postponed.

Once every summer there is a very small snow "shower", but that is usually it. This year is different. The snow is getting heavier and it is in the low areas where they never get snow in summer. It is 20 cm deep in some areas.

Weather forecasting is improving, however. Snow was predicted a week ago. Summer tourists are arriving and they are not bringing winter clothing. Hopefully, the weather will improve and local income will not be affected as tourism is the regions major industry.
Climate by Ty Buchanan
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
     Australian Blog                         
ALL BLOG ARTICLES· ──► (BLOG HOME PAGE)

Dancing Bear

~
"Swing it Man."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Funny Animal Photos
-------Australian Blog-------
ALL BLOG ARTICLES· ──► (BLOG HOME PAGE)

Lead Dog

"He always takes the lead."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Funny Animal Photos
-------Australian Blog-------

Evolution is Faster in the Tropics

It seems that with climate change we will lose some species but gain new ones - or have new "changed" species. Some species living at high altitudes have been changing as mountain tops become warmer with climate change. It was believed that accelerated evolution only occurs in cold regions, but it has been discovered that it also happens in the tropics.

While it has been accepted for a long time that plants and marine protists evolve faster, the process has only recently been recognized in mammals. What is unusual is that mammals are not directly affected by a warming climate because they naturally maintain a steady body heat.

It is now believed that evolution in the tropics is even faster that in temperate regions. There is a greater diversity of species in the tropics. This faster evolution and more species means that adaptation to changing conditions is rapid. The faster evolution actually makes for many more types of animals.

There must be something else, however, that is driving change in mammals than just a warming climate. Genes were studied from closely related mammals at both high and low altitudes. It was found that DNA substitution was much faster at low, warm latitudes. There are two theories on why this is happening: 1) mammals act in sympathy with other animals; and 2) mammals slow down and become torpid in a colder climate.

Personally, neither of these two theories seem realistic. Why should mammals act in Sympathy? Moreover, mammals in cold climates actually appear to be more active.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Science