Michael From F.W., our whiz kid.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Ok, it's "let's stump Michael" time.

First question for a guy I greatly respect. Describe the function of the Bottle Nosed Dolphin's Rete Mirabile (Latin for Wonderful Net).

"I know! I know!"
"Shut up and sit down, Goodweed."

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/pschmid1/array/node2/swim.bladder.html

 

[Katie H]

Come here, Goodweed. Let me feel your nose. I think you are sick. Your post was waaaaay too short.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Ok - Goodweed - I'm going to shoot from the hip (aka: I'm not going to look it up) from what I remember when I really wanted to go to Scripps in La Jolla to work in interspecies communications with ceatations back in my mid 20's ... it has something to do with either the inner ear and/or cerebral blood pressure regulation during deep dives - or something like that, I think. Thanks for picking something I am at least somewhat familiar with! If you had asked me a question about reptiles I would have been totally clueless!

I'm afraid Marty-23 has the big stumper ... that has me totally befuddled!!!

Katie - don't get too close ... before you check his nose make sure he's not foaming around the mouth!

 

[Katie H]

I'm with you on the "What is this?" question, Michael. As for the dolphin question Goodweed posed, whoa, I'll have to Google your reply because I'm totally in the dark. Love all your thorough answers, though.

 

[Michael in FtW]

LOL - Katie ... I'm refraining from looking it up (don't want to be called a cheater) ... so I, too, am waiting for Goodweed to let me know if I'm close or not!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

It is indeed a pressure regulating organ that allows our finned freind to free-dive to depths that would incapacitate us, and very quickly I might add.

Good job.

Ok, someone else's turn to post a question.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Katie H]

Okay, Michael, this isn't from me. Buck MADE me do it.

What is the purpose of a nictitating membrane?

 

[keltin]

Ok, I’ll try my hand. What is a “wheatstone bridge” used for?

And this one is easily solved by Google, but it is from my field so I know it intimately without looking it up.

 

[keltin]

Dang, we posted at the same time Katie, but I know the answer to that one, so it should be easy for Michael.

 

[qmax]

Oh oh oh! I wanna play!!!

Who put the tribbles in the quatrotriticale? No fair looking it up Michael!

Maybe something a little more arcane? You know what dial-a-yield is?

 

[Gossie]

Scottie, where their no tribble at all .. LOL

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I know the nictitating membrane and the wheatstone bridge, but I aint tellin! We learned about the Wheatstone bridge way back in Aviation Electronics "A" school back in Millington Tennesse (circa 1975). And the nictitating membrane, couldn't tell ya where I remember that from. But I picked it up somewhere.

Sorry 'bout puttin' ya on the spot my freind. But sometimes, you do amaze us.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[expatgirl]

Are we supposed to guess answers to both? I know one but not the other.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Michael is actually supposed to answer the questions. But, since I'm the originator of the thread, I say let's open it to anyone who wants to participate. I'll refrain from answering the nictitating membrane/wheatstone bridge question. Everyone else, feel free to answer.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North