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Freethought & Rationalism ArchiveThe archives are read only. |
03-27-2003, 06:58 PM
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#1 |
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Contributor
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Hibernation, brilliant design or brilliant adaptation?
Watching something on tv about how some cold blooded animals can hibernate. I thought to myself, how the heck did that ever evolve? Is it evidence of design? Then I thought, well, why didn't God make it so that the animals could live during the entire year?
So the answer is obvious, adaptation. But how did it start? Are there any notes on that or theories? When did life learn to take it easy for a bit? |
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03-27-2003, 07:03 PM
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#2 |
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Senior Member
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Location: California
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Honestly, for a cold-blooded vertebrate there probably isn't much more to hibernation than...getting cold. I imagine that burrowing to a depth where one doesn't freeze solid would be useful also, although many critters have antifreeze in their blood and such.
Mammals, which normally have a high body temperature and die if it drops too much, are probably a more complicated story although someone around here probably knows something about that also. |
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03-27-2003, 09:28 PM
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#3 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: California
Posts: 646
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err, "bold" means "blood" above...
(can't edit after 120 minutes...) .... but I can! |
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