Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: thedoc on 21/08/2015 09:46:07

Title: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: thedoc on 21/08/2015 09:46:07

The contrasting pattern on zebras may have a different purpose to what we originally thought...

Read the whole story on our  website by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/science-news/news/1000767/)

  

Title: Re: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: vhfpmr on 26/01/2017 11:06:42

On Radio 4 this morning Prof Steve Jones was saying that it's because flying insects don't like stripes, but they don't yet know why.

I'm thinking that if flying objects are going to land rather than crash land they have to be able to judge distance accurately, and if the target is striped it's easy to misjudge distance using binocular vision when each eye focuses on a different stripe.

Title: Re: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: alancalverd on 27/01/2017 12:13:23

Animals with flexible vocalisation and small family groups have names. Zebras have bar codes.

Title: Re: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: Colin2B on 27/01/2017 14:13:55

Quote from: alancalverd on 27/01/2017 12:13:23

Zebras have bar codes.

Too big for the supermarket checkout!

Title: Re: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: alancalverd on 28/01/2017 00:00:36

So what? When did you last see a zebra shopping?

Title: Re: Why do zebras have stripes?
Post by: Colin2B on 28/01/2017 05:56:36

Quote from: alancalverd on 28/01/2017 00:00:36

So what? When did you last see a zebra shopping?

No, neigh, never.
But just realised it's only sheep that have baa codes.