Giraffes, Dung beetles and Outer Space are connected
Giraffes, Dung beetles and Outer Space are connected…and no, I am not joking. Giraffes are well known for having long necks and an incredible ability to pump blood all the way up to their heads…but what about preventing blood pooling by gravity in their long legs? Their blood vessels are elastic and help regulate blood flow in the legs, along with tight skin covering them … and it was this mechanism which was studied by NASA and used to help develop space suits and compression socks and trousers for astronauts… not to mention for the medical world too!
And the Dung beetle? They use the position of the Sun to orientate, whilst rolling balls of dung during the day, but are also active at night…with no Sun. Scientists have discovered that the beetles will use the Milky Way or the Moon to orientate by at night – and that is why they frequently stop rolling, day or night, and jump on top of the ball and dance around, to orientate themselves, so as to get away from the other beetles at the bun fight on and in the poo pile!
Credit to Africa Spear Safaris and Dave Lovell for the information