Re: Question
From: Andy Resnick (axr67_at_op.cwru.edu)
Date: 10/28/04
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Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 13:14:41 -0400
Paul Draper wrote:
> <snip>
>
>(This kind of relation has LOTS of implications, by the way. It's the
>reason why water drops are round, it's the reason why the tallest &
>thinnest humans are at equatorial climes, it's the reason why
>spreading water thinly over a surface causes it to dry faster, and the
>reason your lungs and intestines have villi. If you're interested,
>there's an EXCELLENT article in last month's Physics Today at your
>library that talks about scaling laws in living organisms.)
>
>
I'm going to nit-pick here- I really doubt the relation holds between
average temperature and human organism surface area, as determined by
heat exchange. Especially given the relevant timescales of climate
change and evolution. And what about migratory patterns? Besides, since
normal human temperature is about the same as the environment in
equatorial climates (90-100 F, give or take), it's not clear that the
organism would place much priority on skin-air heat transfer (especially
given the surface area of the lungs, and it's role in heat exchange).
-- Andrew Resnick, Ph.D. Department of Physiology and Biophysics CWRU School of Medicine tanspose 'op' for mail
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