Lambs in a wind tunnel
Controversial experiments in which British government scientists subjected newborn lambs to prolonged periods in a wind tunnel and baths of cold water to test their weather resistance have been stopped by the Agricultural Research Council.
After spending more than $40,000 on the experiments the scientists concluded that lambs with short wool got cold faster than lambs with long wool.
After spending more than $40,000 on the experiments the scientists concluded that lambs with short wool got cold faster than lambs with long wool.
Sounds like Nobel Prize material there.
San Francisco Examiner - Dec 9, 1979
I'm not entirely sure, but Deborah Samson's research at the University of Edinburgh seems like it was the original study: "Genetic and physiological aspects of resistance to hypothermia in relation to neonatal lamb survival".
You can download at this link (pdf file) her doctoral thesis describing the research. As usual with things like this, the actual scientific study doesn't seem as wacky as the media report of it.
Update: While browsing through Samson's thesis, I discovered that she had a picture of the lamb "wind tunnel apparatus".
Comments
Not only are the videos unavailable but half the articles refuse to accept comments
Posted by F.U.D in Stockholm on 12/05/21 at 07:56 AM
F.U.D.--we obviously can't regulate the international prohibitions that other platforms such as YouTube place on their videos. I'm not even sure we could check in advance about those prohibitions! All we can do, as two guys in the USA, is to make sure they play okay when we embed the videos at WU.
As for the comments being turned off: we have an automatic limitation of three months on open commenting. When we were being hit by spam so bad, we implemented this, figuring that it was one way of blocking the spammers. But sometimes, if we make a post, then don't launch it for months, the forgotten automatic limitation goes into effect instantly. Normally we try to avoid this. But if you just cite a certain post where comments are blocked, we can fix it pretty fast!
Thanks as always for your help and feedback and support of WU!
As for the comments being turned off: we have an automatic limitation of three months on open commenting. When we were being hit by spam so bad, we implemented this, figuring that it was one way of blocking the spammers. But sometimes, if we make a post, then don't launch it for months, the forgotten automatic limitation goes into effect instantly. Normally we try to avoid this. But if you just cite a certain post where comments are blocked, we can fix it pretty fast!
Thanks as always for your help and feedback and support of WU!
Posted by Paul on 12/05/21 at 12:51 PM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: Experiments | Farming | 1970s