Monday, November 10, 2003
And now we know the source of that methane from the 10/24 entry
Flatulent Fish Puzzle Researchers
Bob Beale, ABC Science Online
Nov. 10, 2003 — Herring fish have a secret nocturnal habit of squeezing gas bubbles out of their anal pores, producing distinctive noises like someone blowing raspberries, a quirky new study by Canadian and U.K. researchers has revealed.
The flatulent fish are known to respond to underwater sounds but their apparently unique sound production method is a scientific surprise, reports a team led by Ben Wilson, from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in last Thursday's issue of the Royal Society's Biology Letters.
"We know they have excellent hearing but little about what they actually use it for," Wilson said. "It turns out that herring make unusual farting sounds at night." ¶ 11:35 AM
Bob Beale, ABC Science Online
Nov. 10, 2003 — Herring fish have a secret nocturnal habit of squeezing gas bubbles out of their anal pores, producing distinctive noises like someone blowing raspberries, a quirky new study by Canadian and U.K. researchers has revealed.
The flatulent fish are known to respond to underwater sounds but their apparently unique sound production method is a scientific surprise, reports a team led by Ben Wilson, from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in last Thursday's issue of the Royal Society's Biology Letters.
"We know they have excellent hearing but little about what they actually use it for," Wilson said. "It turns out that herring make unusual farting sounds at night." ¶ 11:35 AM
