Posted on 12/21/2012 9:12:22 PM PST by nickcarraway
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's snout has been immortalised in movies, books and song. But until now, no-one has offered a scientific explanation for the glow that allows the world's most famous antlered herbivore to guide Santa's sleigh through the night before Christmas.
In a study released on Monday, researchers in Norway and the Netherlands used a hand-held microscope to examine the nasal lining of five healthy humans, two reindeer and a sixth person with a non-cancerous nasal growth.
Reindeer noses have 25 percent more blood vessels than human noses, according to the tongue-in-cheek investigation, published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in its Christmas edition.
The tiny blood vessels provide plentiful oxygen-carrying cells and help control the body's temperature, showed their findings, which were backed by an infrared image of a reindeer after exercise.
"Rudolph's nose is red because it is richly supplied with red blood cells, comprises a highly dense microcirculation, and is anatomically and physiologically adapted for reindeer to carry out their flying duties for Santa Claus," the paper observes.
Huh?
So he’s have to go 39000 miles an hour. Wow. But why would Rudolph’s nose be redder than any of the other reindeer.
The same reason the tip of any vehicle going 39,000 MPH will be hotter than anything inside the shockwave cone it creates....
So every time Rudolph now stops
All of the other reindeer ...
Have to stop quick or get brown-nosed ....
But why did it glow? Glow enough to guide an airborne vehicle? I think the research is without merit. IMHO ... LOL!
Unless you’re Rudolph, the scenery’s always the same. :=)
Ah, forget it. They're on a roll.
So, what do Mrs. Claus and the lady reindeer do while the boys are out Christmas Eve doing their thing?
Rudolf Ramjet
Friction with the air at 39k mph........
Meteors glow pretty good........
And I always thought he was imbibing a bit to ward off the cold. Who knew?
You’re making me believe in the Mayan calendar.
Now there’s a picture you won’t see on a Currier and Ives.
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