| www.bayerus.com/msms -- Ever wonder how bears hibernate all winter long? Let's make sense of it with science! Once the days begin to shorten and grow colder, and food becomes scarcer, animals, like this black bear, begin to hibernate. This bear has been on a feeding frenzy all summer long. Sometimes consuming 20000 calories a day. Thanks to this binging, he's packed on about 5 inches of fat. Now that it's cold, our bear is ready to hunker down in that cave. Where he'll stay dormant 4 to 7 months without eating, drinking, or anything else. How? Let's go in the cave and see. Normally, a bear's heart beats 40 times a minute when it sleeps. But during hibernation, the heart slows to 8 beats a minute. While the bear's body temperature drops 9 degrees Fahrenheit. That's why our bear doesn't need as much energy to stay alive. And it can exist by burning those extra five inches of fat. Now, when fat burns, carbon dioxide and water are left behind. This water is enough to sustain its blood and body tissues for months. Shh! This bear may be hibernating, but he's not asleep. Look, his eyes are open. He's completely alert and aware of what's going on. This dormant style of hibernation means survival for the bear. But trouble for us. Let's get out of here! Well, those are the bear facts about hibernation. Itall makes sense with science. This has been presented by Bayer Corporation's national education program, Making Science Make Sense. Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh ... |
