What are the fluffy bits for?

[Uncle Peter]

[Fredxxx]

Are you sure they are really "fluffy"?

I would imagine they are spikes to stop birds perching on the wires, otherwise they might create a conductive path following incineration?

[Uncle Peter]

Yeah well "fluffy" wasn't meant to be an accurate term, just to point out the bit I was looking at!

Seems odd that this technique is hardly ever used.

[John Williamson]

Is that in an area prone to thunderstorms? If so, they could be a way to reduce the size of transients induced by lightning strikes using corona discharge.

[Andrew Gabriel]

It gets used where you don't want large birds - perhaps the area has storks and they're big enough to short out the conductors, or it's near an airport where they don't want large birds hanging around increasing the chance of being sucked into engines.

National Dailysex Association

[Uncle Peter]

[crosses legs] Poor bird.

[Mathew Newton]

By stroke of pure coincidence I'm sure, your random sig probably answers the question! (well, for birds but close enough)

[Uncle Peter]

I'm convinced that sig generator analyzes the emails/news posts I send and picks one not at random. There are far too many coincidences.

[meow2222]

oh, I thought you meant on women

NT

[Uncle Peter]

Actually that has never been answered by scientists. Pubic hair serves no purpose.

[MattyF]

In New Zealand, the size of insulators for high voltage outdoor wiring is determined by the length of the Australian opossums, of which we have about 50 million or more.

[Vir Campestris]

You mean they size them to kill the maximum number of 'possums? Doesn't that cause a few power fails?

Andy

[F Murtz]

I thought it was for little beasties to hide in.

[whisky-dave]

I thought it had been as it's trypiczlly on areas were teh skin is more sensative so it helps cut down on chaffing and general rubbing. Another theory was that it reduces sweating, although I'm not sure how.

Eyebrows are what confuse me apprantly they are to stop the suns glare or were originally.

[Uncle Peter]

That doesn't explain why you don't grow it till you reach puberty. Also hair tends to INcrease itching.

That doesn't make sense. In fact I saw the opposite explanation on a documentary once that suggested it was to retain the sweat to give off your scent. Er.... WHAT? We don't want that scent, that's why we use deoderant.

Eyebrows are obvious, they stop the rain dribbling into your eyes. If it's pouring with rain, they get wet, so as long as you wipe them every so often, your eyes don't get water in them.

If you meant eyeLASHES, they stop dust. In fact if I cycle through a cloud of dust thrown up from a field on a dry windy day for example, I'll squint my eyes to cover them better with my eyelashes.

[Tim+]

They still do! Ask anybody with alopecia universalis/totalis if they miss their eyebrows! They make a big difference.

Tim

[Uncle Peter]

Or those stupid women that shave them off then draw them back on. WHY?!?

[polygonum]

Also been suggested to help with dispersing pheromones.

[Uncle Peter]

Humans don't use those.

[Vir Campestris]

OK, so women wear perfume why exactly? And musk is a constituent for what purpose?

Andy