DROOL IS COOL

Scientists have discovered that blowflies cool themselves by drooling.* They (blowflies, not scientists) release a droplet of saliva which then hangs onto the outside of its their mouth. The droplet apparently cools by evaporation, after which the blowfly draws the droplet back into its mouth. The droplet cycle is repeated several times, thereby cooling the body.

Mosquitoes seem to have a similar cooling system, only it is backwards. They get hot when sucking on warm-blooded bodies, such as ours. So, while drinking our hot blood, they release urine droplets from their posterior. The droplet dangles for a while to release heat from the body, then falls off to be replaced by another one. It is unclear whether vampires have a similar mechanism.

Before the advent of automobile air conditioning, old-timers may recall a device used to cool the passenger compartment. A tubular metal thing hung on the outside of the passenger window with a vent into the car. Filled with water, evaporative cooling took place when the car sped down the road. Of course, the passenger's window view was limited, as well as cooling in slow traffic.

What do blowflies, mosquitoes and politicians have in common? I will let you answer that one.

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*Milius,"Blowflies Use Drool To Keep
Their Cool",Science News,February 3,
2018, p.12

© Daniel J. Kucera 2018