This morning, on our way to our bus, The Handsome One found a plastic giraffe. It's seems to be an educational toy. What it was doing out in the alley that runs behind our duplex, we may never know.
Of course, you know it's really a sign. We're looking at the stately giraffe today, courtesy of www.howstuffworks.com.
The article titled "If a giraffe's neck only has seven vertebrae, how is it so flexible?" poses a good question. So, there's fact #1 for today: a giraffe's neck has only seven vertebrae!
I've often wondered why we have any animal that has such a tall stature and a long neck. This article on Natural Selection may provide some clues. It probably has something to do with the giraffe's competition for food growing on trees.
The circulatory system required to keep a giraffe from fainting is maintained by a large heart, which can weigh more than (gulp!) 25lbs (11kg). The pressure required to get blood to the brain is about double what a human needs.
The little plastic giraffe is now sitting on my desk. Whilst checking to see where she was made, I learned she's a she...the manufacturer bothered to equip her with four little...er...mammary outlets. If you have any recommendations for a nice name for her, please tell me in the Comments.
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