Myth: Polar bears are solar

For decades, scientists believed that polar bear hairs function as fiber-optic conductors. They believed the hairs collect ultra-violet light and direct it to the black skin where it is somehow converted into heat. This speculation began in the 1970’s when scientists learned that polar bears absorb UV light, making them appear black in UV light. Based on circumstantial evidence, indirect inferences, and misinterpretations, scientists created mathematical models to estimate the efficiency of energy transference in the hairs.

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