What's New In Animal Studies?

Woodpeckers hammer their beaks into trees at a force of 15 mph

, 20 times per second - that's 12,000 times a day - but they don't get headaches. According to research by an ophthalmologist at the University of California/Davis, woodpeckers' bodies are designed to absorb the impact. Thick muscles in their necks contract a millisecond before a strike, radiating some of the force down the neck, while compressible bone in the skull provides cushioning. Also, because woodpeckers have virtually no spinal fluid in their skulls, their brains remain rigid. Obviously, this process is more complicated than just saying woodpeckers are "headstrong".

Cows, however, are headstrong. Cows that are given names produce more milk. Research published in the British journal Anthrozoos compared production from England's National Milk Records with survey results from 516 dairy farmers. Dairy farmers who addressed their cows by individual names such as Bessie or Rosie got 68 gallons of milk more per cow over the 10-month lactation period than dairy farmers who didn't address their cows by name. These findings were the same regardless of farm size or how much cows were fed. Considering only 46% of the dairy farmers surveyed named their cows, this information could create a new "milky way".

Beverly Hills Spas use milk for facials - but not just any milk. For best results the milk has to be squeezed within minutes after a cow gives birth. Because this milk contains the most nutrients, it supposedly can be used to make a mask that takes years off the face. By making the skin tighter, it looks younger. If that isn't enough, having bovine stem cells applied directly to the face is meant to rejuvenate the skin. For $100-$250 per treatment a woman can go into a spa and come out a "cowgirl".

And then there are whales. Whales help oceans absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. This is the finding of research done by the Australian Antarctic Division and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center. Iron-containing algae are eaten by krill, krill are eaten by whales, whales excrete iron-rich feces, iron-rich feces promote the growth of algae and algae absorb CO2. When the algae die and sink to the bottom of the ocean, they take the CO2 with them. This interaction between krill, whales and algae is a self-sustaining cycle - and a "whale of a way" to fight CO2-caused global warming.

by: Knight Pierce Hirst

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