Endothermy

/ˈɛndoʊˌθɜrmi/ noun

Definition

The physiological process and capacity of animals to produce and regulate their own body heat from internal metabolism.

Etymology

From Greek 'endo-' (within) and 'therme' (heat) plus '-y' (creating a noun), the preferred modern scientific term coined in the mid-1900s to replace imprecise older terminology like 'warm-blooded.'

Kelly Says

Endothermy allowed humans to migrate from Africa to the Arctic and thrive in every environment on Earth—while a snake would become sluggish in cold, your internal furnace keeps you sharp and active even when it's freezing outside.

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