6 March 2021 - WHO INVENTED SNOW GOGGLES?

 

WHO INVENTED 

SNOW GOGGLES?

 

G'day folks,

Not many of us are aware of the skills and knowledge that the native people had. From the tip of South America to the Arctic, Native Americans contributed countless valuable things to the world in the form of inventions. People all over the world have enjoyed the fruits of many indigenous American inventions without realizing their origin.

Snow goggles were designed by the North American and Arctic cultures to reduce the amount of sunlight reflecting off the snow. This helped them prevent snow blindness when outdoors. While not much is known about these early twentieth-century goggles, we do know that they were made from wood, bone, antler, or seal ivory. The designs were made in a way to completely cover the eyes and let just enough light from horizontal slits to allow the wearer to see. These small slits also minimized the harm done to the eyes by UV rays. Sometimes even tiny holes were drilled into the top of the goggles to provide ventilation.

Clancy's comment: There ya go. Necessity is the mother of invention, eh?

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16 August 2019 - THESE PICTURES PROVE THAT WINTER CAN BE HARSH

THESE PICTURES PROVE

 THAT WINTER CAN BE HARSH

G'day folks,

I hate the cold, and winter for the majority of us, is the worst time of the year. The cold wind stings, we’ve got to always be on the lookout for ice, our skin is eternally dry, we have to stick on about four layers of clothes before venturing outside, the sun is on vacation, and everything, as some of the pictures below show, freezes immediately. There’s no doubt about it…winter is tough!

Clancy's comment: Mm ... Snap, crackle, pop!

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3 April 2018 - THE ESKIMO DOG

THE ESKIMO DOG

G'day folks,

I hate the cold but I admire the likes of these dogs who seem to love it. 

Eskimo Dog's temperament reflects its original work and environment. It is loyal, tough, brave, intelligent, and alert. It is affectionate and gentle, and develops a deep bond with its owner and is intensely loyal. 

Canadian Eskimo Dogs are best suited as companions for adults, rather than children, as they can be over-excitable. When used as sled dogs, they were often required to forage and hunt for their own food.

Consequently, many Canadian Eskimo Dogs have stronger prey drive than some other breeds. Owing to their original environment, they take pure delight in cold weather, often preferring to sleep outside in cold climates. Like most spitz breeds they can be very vocal.

Clancy's comment:  Tough strong and so loyal. Can't get better than that.

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3 February 2017 - THE ARCTIC FOX

THE ARCTIC FOX

G'day folks,

  The Arctic fox, also known as the white fox, polar fox, or snow fox, is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. It is well adapted to living in cold environments, and can survive in temperatures as low as -50C (-58F).

Amazing Facts About the Arctic Fox

• The Arctic Fox lives on the arctic tundra in some of the harshest conditions on earth. Temperatures can fall as low as -50C (-58F)! They have the best insulating fur in the whole of the animal kingdom.
• Adapted to survive in harsh conditions, arctic foxes have a round compact body, short legs, short ears and small muzzles, reducing the surface area exposed to the cold air. Their deep, thick fur helps to maintain a consistent body temperature.
• Alopex lagopus, arctic foxes scientific name means ‘hare-footed fox’ as even their paws are covered in fur, similarly to a hares. This reduces heat-loss and enables the foxes to walk better on ice.
• Their tail or brush, is around 13” long, used to aid balance but also acts as a blanket when they are sleeping. Arctic foxes can curl their tail around their face to protect their nose from the cold.
• An arctic fox’s fur changes dependent on the season, it is white in summer to blend into the snow, preventing prey from seeing the fox. They shed in spring to reveal grey fur underneath. The shade of their summer fur is dependent on where the foxes live – those which live in areas such as a rocky shore line will be brown in order to blend in.
• The Lemming, a small rodent, is one of the arctic fox’s main prey, so much so that populations of fox can fluctuate dependent on lemming numbers.
• When hunting in winter, arctic foxes incredible hearing allows them to locate the precise location of their prey under the snow. They will leap up in the air and pounce down into the snow on the prey below.
• Highly opportunistic animals, arctic foxes will sometimes follow polar bears, scavenging their leftovers.
• Carnivores and scavengers, arctic foxes may even catch seal pups on occasion. They have been known to eat berries in summer months.
• In Iceland, the arctic fox is the only native land mammal.
• Arctic foxes mate for life, with both parents helping to raise the pups. Litter sizes range from 6-14 with an average litter size of 11 which is the largest litter size recorded for any wild mammal!
• They live in burrows, which can be hundreds of years old, passed down through generations of foxes.
• The arctic fox is very mobile. They will travel large distances across land and sea ice in search of food.
• Climate change is seriously affecting the Arctic, temperatures are rising at twice the rate of the rest of the world causing changes such as reduced sea ice, rising sea levels and melting permafrost. This will affect arctic foxes, changing their habitats, prey availability and is linked to the expansion of the red fox northward. Red foxes are bigger and more dominant than the arctic fox, they will even kill arctic foxes in areas where territories overlap.

 

Clancy's comment: Very cute, eh? Amazing how they can live in such cold conditions.

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