Imagine standing in a swamp in southeastern Oklahoma, where your hips are covered with muck.
There was a monotonous hum in the air.
But the buzz does not come from insects or moody rattlesnakes.
This is a seven-shining sound. inch-long sex toy.
You are currently applying it to the genitals of the western chicken turtle. For science.
Oddly enough, this is the summer of 2014 scene, where crawler Donald McKnight of Missouri State University tested a new non-invasive method to determine whether the turtle is male or female.
It may sound silly, but reptiles are actually very secretive about their sexual behavior.
All the relevant parts of them are hidden in a hole known as the vent aca cavity, so scientists have to rely on features such as shell shape, tail size, claw length and eye color to be sexy.
The problem is that the indicators are not always clear, and sometimes a turtle will have a feature that says "boy" and the other feature points to "girl ".
"Without external clues, scientists can choose to measure the testosterone levels of turtles by drawing blood or performing cloacoscopy, which basically means inserting a small telescope into the vent aca cavity
These methods are understandable for reptiles, time.
Consumed and difficult to perform on site.
This brings us to the vibrator.
You see, if you can catch a glimpse of the turtle's penis, then you don't have to bother looking for other clues.
But that's not to say that reptiles are just walking around waving goods to passers-.
No, they have to be romantic.
But we're still learning what really excites the turtles.
Early research has shown that if you bounce gently up and down, regular crocodile turtles flip their penis.
It is well known that the Cotinga River toadhead turtles will reveal themselves after the neck and limbs are fixed.
Scientists have also used a technology called electric ejaculation on the Yangtze River. shell turtles;
It uses electrodes to guide the animal to erect and eventually ejaculate.
The fruits of these labor are then used to try to create more endangered turtles through artificial insemination.
But in his research, McKnight found
Power stimulation is enough to harden the penis of most male turtles.
However, this is not as easy as you think.
Some species, such as the soft
The shell turtle responds quickly and powerfully to any vibration on or around the tail, while other species, such as the common musket turtle and the Mississippi mud turtle, need a little foreplay first.
McKnight wrote in a new paper on this approach that these species had the best response to "moving the vibrator slowly, in small circles, on the abdominal and chest muscles" or plate. (
"Good Vibrations: a new way to be sexy about turtles" was published in the latest issue of The Journal of animals, including Hunter Howell, Ethan Holland and Dai ·authors).
In an interview, McKnight played down his talent.
"It's really just a matter of moving the vibrator and trying different techniques until I find the technology that the turtles respond well," McKnight said . ".
Of course, no one will object to the idea of finding new and better ways to study wildlife. But c’mon.
Must it be a shiny silver vibrator?
"Since this is a pilot study, we bought the cheapest and most versatile vibrator we can find," McKnight said . " He added that the device was online for about $10.
"We did get a visit from the department secretary and he was wondering why we ordered the vibrator with our funds.
Needless to say, the machine is starting to turn around.
McKnight said he had been called "vibrator man" at a meeting ".
Mark Abraham, editor of The Impossible research yearbook, said he knew the study and thought it was "clearly a valuable candidate for the Ig Nobel prize. ” (
Former Ig Nobel prize winners include scientists who have discovered that dogs tend to align their bodies to the north --
When they poop, the south axis and those who find that almost all mammals empty the bladder within 21 seconds. )
"I hope it's not my only lasting contribution to science, but I'm certainly proud to include it on my resume," McKnight said . ".
David sting, wildlife ecologist at Auburn University (
I also know that "people who used to do CPR for turtles ")
He said the research is valuable for them to increase their scientific records and for how they can engage the public in the dialogue.
"Talking about these innovative technologies can help people notice the fact that we still have a lot to understand about the creatures that are threatened around us," said Steen . " The story of who broke the turtle vibrator on the motherboard. com.
That said, it's important that we don't want everyone to go out and test the personal massage of wild reptiles.
"While the research described in this study may be non-conventional, it is done by a professional biologist, which is well justified and has all the relevant permissions," Steen said . " He confirmed that he had never used any sexual toys against turtles in his personal or professional life.
"Also, some turtles have serious bites that people should avoid.
"So what's the next step for the turtle vibrator team?
In order to make the vibration method useful, more tests need to be carried out in the field to determine the best method for each species, McKnight said.
He would also like to see someone test the vibrators of different styles to see if some work better than others.
It is worth mentioning that he said that even if it became the laughing stock of the joke, he did not hesitate to move forward with this investigation route.
"I think it is very important that people see such science and scientists occasionally.
"There is a stereotype that scientists are really rigid, embarrassed, and out of society, which is not true," McKnight said . ".
"We are ordinary people and just like to ask questions about the world around us and look for answers to those questions.
We like jokes and funny situations like everyone else.
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