They call it stupid heat for a reason: Heat messes with an animal’s brain

For animals such as fish and insects that cannot regulate their body temperature, heat waves can be very damaging. “Changing air temperature affects the temperature of the brain,” says Baird. “An overheated brain can inhibit nerve function, which, he says, “affects cognition, memory, and learning.”

A cross section shows a group of cells in the mouse hippocampus.

Credit: RAUNAK BASU / UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, SALT LAKE CITY

When Baird and his friends tried to train bumblebees to associate the sweet sucrose with the color blue with bitter and yellow quinine, most of the bumblebees learned the trick at 77°, but less than half managed to do so at 90°. Such ignorance can lead to problems in the garden: If the insects have forgotten which flowers to pollinate (if bees combine tomatoes and blueberries) or how to return home with nectar, it will not happen automatically. pollinators sufferbut so is human agriculture, says Baird.

Heat also seems to reduce the appetite of animals. In Ridley’s recent research, when the mercury in the Kalahari desert reached 96° F. pied hunters lost their ability to respond effectively to enemies. In their study, researchers lured birds into a sand-colored blanket, using worms as bait. When the buzzer approaches, the scientists reveal what’s hidden underneath: either a small cat-like creature called a genet, or a colorful wooden box. The birds were afraid of the genet because it was too cold, they screamed, looked around, or ran away. But when it was hot, he did the same whether he was facing a predator or in a box. Ridley points out that this can create a dangerous opportunity for predators when they burn, which can kill many speakers and other animals.

This course is not just about thinking. In the Kalahari, where the southern pieds use their ingenuity to search for worms, the temperature is increasing. twice as fast as the global average. In warm rivers, where male guppies seek mates, heat waves are growing longer and more intense. It’s the same story all over the world—temperatures rise, and animals’ thinking goes haywire, putting species at risk. The results can be extended in other areas such as citieswhich often show even higher temperatures than non-urban areas. If that’s the case, Ridley says, “We may be underestimating the effects of extreme heat on animal psychology.”

This article appeared first Popular magazine.