The polar bear’s fur is the natural example for modern thermal insulation
For the construction of our products we also take a look at nature: polar bears successfully protect themselves against the icy cold at the North Pole in several ways. One of those is the close-knit hair of the pelt: it traps the air and thus creates an insulating layer. This means that the heat of the body cannot escape so easily and it creates a buffer of air around the animal’s body.
Why do polar bears have blue tongues?
There are two reasons:
Polar bears have, although we cannot see it because of their white fur, a heavily pigmented and deep black skin. Such skin can absorb a lot more heat than a light skin and thereby provides protection against the icy cold of the Arctic. It is possible that the skin pigmentation has attracted the pigmentation of the tongue too.
The polar bear cannot transpire through skin pores and his paws are hardly suitable for temperature regulation. To avoid cuts at sharp-edged ice they are equipped with a particularly thick cornea. Therefore, the polar bear regulates his heat balance by panting like a dog. The tongue is so blue because it is well supplied with blood.
Why do polar bears not freeze?
The polar bear is one of the warm-blooded animals and can maintain his body temperature even in a cold ambient temperature. His thick fur and a thick layer of fat insulate him against the cold. Moreover, the small blood capillaries, that pass through the layer of fat on the surface of the skin, can be closed in extreme cold. That is how warm blood is kept inside the body.