Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Extreme Animals

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Surviving the heat: How humans and animals adapt to hot environments

Heat is a major physiological stressor that can damage proteins in the body, promote dehydration and even lead to death. Organisms living in hot environments must develop both behavioral and physiological mechanisms to prevent heat-related damage or illness. A recent review published in Physiology examined how humans and experimental animals adapt to heat (Laitano et al., 2025).    Organisms that tolerate heat effectively can maintain normal physiological functions even when […]

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The gatekeepers of life: Exploring the complex role of GPCRs

Cell membranes are incredibly complex environments that play crucial roles in interacting with other cells, sensing specific molecules in the body, controlling what crosses the membrane, and other vital functions. The composition of these membranes varies between organs in an animal, between similar organs in different species, and even between individuals of the same species. Think of cell membranes as gatekeepers, responsible for detecting various chemical signals (such as ions […]

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Brain Power on a Budget: How Bullfrogs Survive Without Oxygen

Did you know that your brain is really greedy? It uses about 5.7 kilograms of ATP every day, which is an incredible amount of energy! To keep up with such demand, the brain depends on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, such as glucose. When oxygen or nutrient delivery are limited, like during a heart attack, stroke or in low-oxygen environments, the brain is unable to produce enough ATP […]

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Celebrating National Squirrel Appreciation Day: Recent discoveries about ground squirrel hibernation

I am thrilled to have come across a calendar of fun and interesting “holidays” for all sorts of occasions, including celebrating nature and the animals around us. In honor of ‘National Squirrel Appreciation Day’, let’s take a moment to marvel at furry survival experts and the incredible science behind winter slumber in ground squirrels.     When temperatures drop, ground squirrels settle down for a long winter’s nap. During hibernation, their […]

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How hummingbirds beat the heat

On this National Bird Day, let’s dive into some fascinating research about one of nature’s most amazing species: hummingbirds. Last spring, Dr. Derrick Groom and his team in The Avian Energetics Lab at San Francisco State University, including students Cecilia Doan and Christian Guerzon, presented their research at the 2024 American Physiology Summit. Their study explored how these tiny birds manage water loss in a warm environment (30 degrees C). […]

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When Earth Roars: How Volcanoes Shape Life and Biodiversity

Two days ago, as families around the world gathered for the holidays, Mount Ruang in Indonesia erupted, sending ash and smoke high into the atmosphere. This highly active volcano has erupted more than 60 times since the 16th century, with several considered major events. This eruption marked the 4th in a series of eruptions in the last several days around the world including Nicaragua (Mount Masaya), Hawaii (Mount Kilauea), and […]

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The Science Behind Human Endurance Capabilities

Among mammals, humans are known for having exceptional endurance. For example, persistence hunters can run for 2-5 hours to wear out their prey, while marathoners routinely run ~4.5 hours on average (Schulte et al., 2015). Sure, a cheetah can run fast, but it can’t run as long as a human. How did humans develop such exceptional endurance? When vertebrates moved to dry land, they needed to develop lungs to extract […]

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Finches and flies with a taste for blood

Predators with a taste for blood abound on the remote Galapagos Islands… Meet the Vampire Ground Finch 19 different species of finches can be found on the Galapagos Islands. Observations of their various beak shapes, specialized for different diets and purposes, helped Charles Darwin develop the theory of evolution. One species I do not recall learning about in Biology class, however, is the vampire ground finch (Geospiza septentrionalis), which can […]

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Physiologists in California meet today to discuss the latest research

The California Society of Physiologists is hosting their annual meeting today at the University of California Davis campus! Adapting to high altitude The keynote address will be given this evening by Dr. Tatum Simonson (Associate Professor, University of California San Diego) who will speak about, “Variation in human responses to low oxygen: Insights from Mount Everest to Machu Picchu.” Together with Dr. Francisco Villafuerte (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru) […]

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Time Machine: Homeostasis and ‘The Wisdom of the Body’

In this time machine post, we travel back to 1929 to discuss an article written by Dr. Walter B. Cannon, published in Physiological Reviews. Among other achievements, Dr. Cannon is perhaps best known for being the first to coin the term “homeostasis” and to describe “fight or flight responses” in organisms. As a review article, Dr. Cannon summarized observations made by others about how organisms appear to “maintain their own […]

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