Insects

[Enigma'07]

Two questions:
1. are they cold blooded
2. do they have gangilia(sp?) or brains

[eddymrsci]

1. yes insects are cold-blooded, their body temperature depends on the temperature of their environment, therefore the pumping rates of their hearts vary greatly

2. yes insects do have brains and sensory organs and ganglia, the brain plays an important role in image processing - their eyes are much more sensitive to motion than the human eyes
Insects have, in fact, a well-developed, nervous system, the brain processes the information from the different sensory organs, however, unlike human brains, it does not take total control of the movements. these are controlled by ganglia, which will function even when the brain does not work

[Enigma'07]

So what's the differance between ganglia and a brain?

[eddymrsci]

I think ganglia are a dense bundle or cluster of nerve cells, usually extending quite long
while the brain is the center of the nervous system, sending out signals to the spinal cord, instead of transmitting direct impulses to the body

I am not sure, they may be the same thing, except ganglia is an extensive system and brain is just one stationary organ in the skull

[Enigma'07]

So how can you have both at one time. Wouldn't that be pointless?

[eddymrsci]

oh no of course not, insects need ganglia so they can move faster because ganglia send direct impulses to the muscles to cause movements, without waiting for any response from the brain, this is essential to the survival of insects they have to move fast. Plus, it sometimes acts as a substitute for the brain, I guess

[Enigma'07]

So ganglia provide reflex, like when you touch a hot stove and you imeadiatly pull your hand away? If they lost their brain, would they be able to survive with just ganglia? Could an insect have multiple ganglia?

[eddymrsci]

yes I would suppose that the insects would be able to produce more faster and direct reflexes and movements to sensitive stimuli due to their possession of ganglia. however I do not think that they would survive physically without brains, because ganglia are only known to play an essential part in controlling movements, I don't believe they are able to send body parts hormones signaling digestion or other bodily functions
I don't know what you mean by "multiple ganglia", ganglia is the plural form of ganglion

[Enigma'07]

Like several bunches of them through out it's body.

[eddymrsci]

I am not sure, but it is reasonable to think that they only have one, since they only have one nervous system

[Enigma'07]

Thank you one again for your help, all-knowing Mr Science. :D

[eddymrsci]

you're very welcome, any time
haha thanks, however I am not anywhere near knowing all, but I am, in fact, Mr. Science :D (that's one of the nicknames I have at school, the others include Bill Nye the Science Guy, and some more...:P)

[Enigma'07]

are you called Bill Nye because you know alot of stuff like him, or because you act like him? :D

[eddymrsci]

honestly I don't know, at least I am not sure of the reasons
but I don't dress like him, I don't talk like him, and no haha I don't think I act like him, probably because I am very interested in science like him, know stuff about it, though certainly not as much as Bill Nye does, also I am very enthusiastic about it and I like to talk about it a lot
I guess that's why I have earned my unique nicknames

[Enigma'07]

that's alright. one year I had a teacher that insisted on calling me Professor White. I also "earned" a Nobel prize in religion. Not quite sure how I managed that.

[eddymrsci]

haha really? why were you called that?

[Enigma'07]

I have no idea.

[eddymrsci]

haha:p

there is one counselor in my school who started calling me "Bill Nye" and kept calling me that every time I see him in hallway, at the end of the year, when I was talking to him in his office about modifying my timetable for next year, he actually forgot my name

[ElectricFetus]

Yes they have brains, Yes they are exotherms and cannot maintain thermal homeostasis.

[spuriousmonkey]

Exotherm doesn't mean not being able to maintain thermal homeostasis. Au contraire. Some insects rather seek thermal homeostasis and are not that bad at it.

A termite hill is a perfect example of purposeful thermal homeostasis.

[Kunax]

"thermal homeostasis" = maintaining a constant temperatur in a "house", in this case a termite hill?

homeostasis -e :)

[spuriousmonkey]

Of course, unless you like things like colouring between the lines.

[Kunax]

actually it was pretty self explaining, but for some reason i posted anyway, guess im attempting to get 1000 post before newyear.

[spuriousmonkey]

I can still remember my zoology class in university. The teacher finally ended up at the topic of endotherm and exotherm. He wasn't very please with the topic of cold-blooded, because exotherm animals are not really cold-blooded. They do as much as possible to gain a stable thermal homeostasis. Some of these exotherm animals found rather good ways of doing this, others have a more fluctuating body temperature. But all animals strive to gain some kind of homeostatis, be it thermal or ionic or whatever. Endotherm animals found a solution by heating up their bodies constantly. A brilliant but costly solution. Exotherm animals do it in other ways.

(i know you knew this, but i posted it anyway)

[invert_nexus]

I never knew that, Spurious. Or rather, I never looked at it that way. That's very interesting. So, the termite mound can be likened to our metabolic machinery. Are there any insects that are not hive insects that do this? I suppose that in a way, a colony is required, isn't it? A way of looking at the hive as a single organism. A single endothermic organism.

[jamesm]

Some species of moth warm their flight muscles prior to flight by vibrating their wings
until they reach their optimum temperature. This is certainly not homeothermy, as the temperature is only maintained as long as it is required, but it is a good example of voluntary temperature regulation in poikilotherms.

I read somewhere once that a reptile, if ill, will try to elevate its body temperature above its normal optimum (by sunning itself), in the same way as mammals and birds develop a fever. Evidently the immune system works better at a higher temperature. Slightly off-topic but interesting.

[ElectricFetus]

They have the maintain thermal homeostasis from outside sources, thus exotherm. If the organism could do it all by them selves then it would be a endotherm. Super-organisms don’t count.

[monkey king]

yes insects have ganglia and brain.

[cosmictraveler]

A thermodynamics professor had written a take home exam for his graduate students. It had one question: "Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?Support your answer with a proof.

" Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law(gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following: "First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So,we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people don't belong to more than one religion, we can project that all people and all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now,we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand as souls are added. This gives two possibilities: 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. 2. Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over. So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Ms. Therese Banyan during my Freshman year, 'That it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleep with you', and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then 2 cannot be true, and so Hell is exothermic." This student got the only A.

[Enigma'07]

A thermodynamics professor had written a take home exam for his graduate students. It had one question: "Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?Support your answer with a proof.

What's that got to do with anything?

[cosmictraveler]

What's that got to do with anything?


spuriousmonkey
resident pirate monkey (6,235 posts)

06-24-04, 02:19 AM
report | reply
I can still remember my zoology class in university. The teacher finally ended up at the topic of endotherm and exotherm. He wasn't very please with the topic of cold-blooded, because exotherm animals are not really cold-blooded. They do as much as possible to gain a stable thermal homeostasis. Some of these exotherm animals found rather good ways of doing this, others have a more fluctuating body temperature. But all animals strive to gain some kind of homeostatis, be it thermal or ionic or whatever. Endotherm animals found a solution by heating up their bodies constantly. A brilliant but costly solution. Exotherm animals do it in other ways.

[spuriousmonkey]

Sorry, my mistake.

[Nerd_11]

[QUOTE=Kunax]"thermal homeostasis" = maintaining a constant temperatur in a "house", in this case a termite hill?

i woz curious what the full meaning for thermal homeostasis is for mammals, and was wondering if u would reckon it was a handicap?

[Kunax]

with out any knowledge what so ever, here is what i think:

keeping a constant temperature is a required handicap, the altanative is dead. The "key" would be finding the way that requires the least amount of energy to maintain the bodys temperatur, for humans thats housing and clocth(sp?)

[Nerd_11]

Thanks that helps but i can find all this information on thermal homeostasis for other animals except mammals they have homeostasis to because their similar to humans in have the need for something else to homeostasis's their bodies!

[spuriousmonkey]

mammals they have homeostasis to because their similar to humans

Humans are mammals.

[porkchop23]

Mammals maintain a thermal homestasis, but they do it only by expending considerable amounts of energy. Would you consider this a handicap?

[porkchop23]

Ok someone i know just asked the same question

[porkchop23]

Do you know any good sites about thermal homeostasis off the top of your head kunax?

[celtic origin]

Could you please explain to me where you believe hell actually is because I still do not understand where people get crazy ideas about heaven and hell.I believe heaven and hell are just complete fiction and also while Im on the subject souls all of these things are just ficticious myths to help us sleep at nights also If anyone agrees or disagrees give me a reply.So if this person got an A sack the teacher I say.

" Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law(gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following: "First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So,we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people don't belong to more than one religion, we can project that all people and all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now,we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand as souls are added. This gives two possibilities: 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. 2. Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over. So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Ms. Therese Banyan during my Freshman year, 'That it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleep with you', and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then 2 cannot be true, and so Hell is exothermic." This student got the only A.[/QUOTE]

[porkchop23]

What the hell does heaven and earth have to do with science! That is a load of crap what I just read! I say sack the damn teacher! What were they thinking when they marked THAT?

[porkchop23]

Sorry for the outburst...i got a bit emotional haha

[spuriousmonkey]

Mammals maintain a thermal homestasis, but they do it only by expending considerable amounts of energy. Would you consider this a handicap?

It allows them to be active all the time. Also during the night and in cold weather.