Australian_Geographic_-_August_2015_AU_.

July–August 2015 127

ISTOCKPHOTO; KLAUS/WIKIMEDIA/

Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Do we know how other animals perceive time?

DEBORAH ALLEN, MARRICKVILLE, NSW

DR BRONWEN CRIBB,

ENTOMOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND, SAYS:

Perception of time is tricky enough to understand in humans, but through research we

do know something about it in animals. Perception of time is related to metabolism and

sensory ability. For example, a fl y is able to process images of the world much faster than

humans can, which is a good thing or it would constantly crash as it buzzed around. This

faster perception means time is cut into fi ner slices. So we think that, for a fl y, time goes

by much more rapidly than it does for us. Rather like those scenes in the fi lm The Matrix, a

human would appear to be moving in slow motion for the fl y. Time also goes by faster for

a dog, but just a little: not the mythical rate of seven human years to one dog year.

We asked you about your top

spots to see wild platypuses.

Here were your suggestions on

our website and social media.

I watched a pair chasing

each other around the

riverbank and in the

shallows, while camped

by the Lachlan River,

NSW, a few years back.

It was an absolutely

magical experience.

ANDREW JENSZ

Seeing a platypus in the wild

is an amazing experience. We

saw several when we were

fl y fi shing in Tassie.

EMMA BIGWOOD

Blue Lake by Jenolan Caves

in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

MARK NATHAN

Crows Nest Show Grounds

out past Toowoomba is a great

place to see them. I saw a small

colony when I was camping

there as a kid.

ADRIAN FOGARTY

Another spot is in the

Meander River at

Deloraine, Tasmania.

MICHELLE WATSON

Eungella, north-west of Mackay,

QLD, is a good spot to see them.

HILARY THACKER

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Ta l k b@ck

Why do leaves turn red in autumn?

GARY NUNN, WATERLOO, NSW

DR SCOTT MCADAM,

PLANT PHYSIOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA, SAYS:

Some plants need to lose their leaves in winter because the days become too short and cold

for them to work properly. In autumn, an increase in pigments called anthocyanins turns

leaves red. These pigments help plants in two ways. The fi rst is to act as a sunscreen to

protect the leaves from bright light, as the tree breaks down and reabsorbs all of its valuable

nutrients. The second is to trick insects into believing the tree is sick or poisonous, so that

they might choose another tree to attack or lay their eggs upon.

ASK AN EXPERT GOT A

QUESTION FOR

AN EXPERT?

Email it to

editorial@ausgeo.

com.au

Golden glow. Cold and

sunny climates have the

brightest autumn colours.

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