Holes in T. rex's skull now thought to have regulated body temperature

[rland]

They studied alligators to arrive at their conclusion. It's pretty insane how long that group of animals have been on earth: the same basic design has been in play for 200 million years.

Compare that to your typical piece of software ;)

[zphds]

oooh, as a software engineer, too low... too low...

In our defense we do not have hundreds of millions of years of test driven development. :P

[nolok]

So you’re saying their brain works in COBOL ? Don’t fix what’s not broken and all that

[kaushikt]

> "An alligator's body heat depends on its environment," said Kent Vliet, coordinator of laboratories at the University of Florida's Department of Biology. "Therefore, we noticed when it was cooler and the alligators are trying to warm up, our thermal imaging showed big hot spots in these holes in the roof of their skull, indicating a rise in temperature. Yet, later in the day when it's warmer, the holes appear dark, like they were turned off to keep cool.

T.Rex seem to have similar holes filled with blood vessels.

Fascinating.

[jessaustin]

I think I understand what's being said, but taken literally it seems backwards? Body temperature probably was not regulated by dumping heat when the ambient temperature was cold. In those conditions heat should be conserved. Rather, heat is dumped (as much as possible) when the ambient temperature is warm.

Also, alligators are not usually considered homeothermic.

[homero]

Sounds like a heatsink

[algaeontoast]

I love science and history, but there are times when I have to wonder why knowing what holes in a T Rex skull were for really benefits or forwards society?

I'm posting this because I'd like to be proven wrong.

[blacksmith_tb]

Obviously lots of science doesn't have practical applications (astrophysics anyone?) but I am skeptical "does X benefit society?" applies any better to much (maybe most) of what people actually do. I might turn it around and say that (nearly) all of what humans do doesn't benefit our societies, so much as it doesn't destroy them.

[ChristianGeek]

I wish I had an air conditioner in my head right now.

[throwaway_law]

You do, 7-10% of your body heat escapes through your head (although most claim its 50%), but your ears, nose and cheeks also contain special blood vessels to assist with cooling the body.

[ncmncm]

"Air conditioner". Reading, it's blood vessels. So, really, a radiator. Nothing to do with cooling air, and everything to do with transferring heat from blood to air, resulting in warmer air and cooler blood.

Bad, journalism. No biscuit.

[vectorEQ]

global warming caused newly discovered by T-rex cranial radiators

[majestik]

Gotta keep a cool head, T.