Polar bear genitals are shrinking.

Are they sure it isn't just the cold water? I always have that problem. At least that's the excuse I use.

Oh, and speaking of sucky science jobs, measuring polar bear privates has to be right up there.

Polar bears from northernmost Norway, western Russia and east Greenland are among the most polluted animals in the Arctic.

Want to bet it's still our fault?

Ain't enough tranquilizer darts in the world to recruit this aged grad student for that field work.

Depleted uranium.

I dunno, being a horse inseminator might just be a bit higher on that scale...

I thought George was still too occupied with Jupiter's spots...?

Sometime in the 1960s, there was an interesting article in _Science_ about measuring the temperatures of hibernating bears. The instrument of choice was a rectal thermometer. The investigators had quite a sense of humor. I guess that you'd have too.

What is your point with the title? That it's "hilarious"? That this is possibly an environment problem that's not in significant part caused by USA?

"Polar bears from northernmost Norway, western Russia and east Greenland are among the most polluted animals in the Arctic, as they feast on ringed seals and bearded seals. The blubber of these seals accumulates high levels of organic pollutants loaded with halogens such as chlorine. These organohalogens can act like hormones."

Organohalogens in seals. Like PCDD, DDT, PCB. The article didn't talk about the sources of these. One source that is on the increase is flame retardants in electronics. I didn't do any checks by country or anything. Anyway, it is probably relevant to at least all industrialized countries. I don't know what Bush has done about them. I've heard first of them being a problem about five years ago, and have since seen some vague "green design of electronics" programs in my country, but nothing major yet.

MZ, not everyone has reason to take genital shrinkage personally, you know.

How soon after the Polar Bears came out of that FREEZING water did they do the measurements?

When they hit them with the tranq. dart, didn't they hear the bears yelling, "...I was in the water, I was in the water!!"

"The ... testicles the researchers examined were on average roughly three inches across and 1.8 ounces in weight, although they could dramatically enlarge during the height of sexual activity from January to July. Their bacula, or p3nis bones, were on average nearly seven inches long."

1. I note that a sphere of water 3" across would weigh 8 oz, so those are some seriously buoyant parts, even if they're a long way from spherical. Hollow, maybe? Conversely, a 1.8-oz sphere of water would be only 1.8" across, which makes me feel better about lacking a 7" baculum, or any baculum at all.


2. January-July, huh? Gives New Year's celebrations a whole new meaning.


3. This etymological note connects "baculum" and "baile," as in "motte and bailey." A man's home is his, er ...?

McGehee, what's your argument? Can you spell it out more clearly, as I didn't really understand.

Actually, the flame retardants are in the news now, Greenpeace has done a survey of companies that use them. Dell and Nokia used quite little and were lauded.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/green-electronics-guide-ewaste250806

Mac:

"Polar bears from northernmost Norway, western Russia and east Greenland are among the most polluted animals in the Arctic.

Want to bet it's still our fault?"

Actually, yes. That's where the bears are. And pollution is global, not always local.

Polar bears are at the top of the food chain, so the (already too high) levels of pollutants in ocean water are amplified by a factor of 10 or so, probably seven or eight times by the time you measure levels in bears.

This is also the same reason why the WHO and several national health authorities are advising pregnant women, essentially anywhere, not to eat big fish like tuna and shark too often because of their levels of mercury, dioxins and PCB high enough to cause foetal deformation and other pregnancy problems.

I'm not THAT much of a tree-hugger, but don't you think that it's about time we stopped chucking filth into the air, land and sea?

Or do you think that it's more important to save a few dollars on your next computer or car than to stop industry turning our only home into a toxic waste dump?

I put my money on Russia/USSR and the crap their factories put into rivers that empty into the Arctic.

Quote from Fletcher: "I'm not THAT much of a tree-hugger, but don't you think that it's about time we stopped chucking filth into the air, land and sea?"

Yes I agree which is all the more reason for countries to get onto China.

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM340NKPZD_index_1.html