Australian_Geographic_2015_07-08.

(Steven Felgate) #1
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

GET INVOLVED IN
THE CONVERSATION
twitter.com/ausgeo
facebook.com/ausgeo

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.

A


A


Q


Q


圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀


WorldMags.net

Free download pdf