

Smologies #10: BODY HEAT with Shane Campbell-Staton
Feb 1, 2022
Join Shane Campbell-Staton, a Princeton evolutionary biologist and thermophysiologist, for a fascinating dive into body heat management. Discover how animals like antifreeze wood frogs and jumping desert lizards survive extreme temperatures. Learn about the intriguing variations in body temperature, why some people feel hotter or colder, and the unexpected role of fevers in fighting infections. Plus, uncover the reasons behind the size differences in heat retention and the mystique of thermoregulation in different climates.
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Mammalian vs. Reptilian Heat Regulation
- Mammals can produce internal body heat (endothermic) while reptiles cannot (ectothermic).
- Some mammals that hibernate are endothermic poikilotherms, meaning their body temperature fluctuates.
Behavioral Thermoregulation in Lizards
- Ectothermic homeotherms, like lizards, maintain a stable body temperature through behavioral regulation.
- They achieve this by seeking out microclimates, such as shade, to avoid overheating.
Bergman's Rule and Elephants
- Bergman's rule states that larger animals in colder climates retain heat better due to their lower surface area to volume ratio.
- However, elephants, the largest land mammal, live near the equator and have large ears to dissipate heat.