Keep your head warm even with cool water
Swordfish (zool.: Xiphias gladius) have their name due to their sword-like, elongated upper jawbone. They are found worldwide in moderately warm and tropical seas. But what is actually the special feature of this Acanthopterygii and what does it have in common with the temperature control technology of Huber?
The reaction times of cold-blood animals slow down immensely at low temperatures. Consequently, it is difficult to keep a "warm head" in hunting situations and to react lightning fast to evasive actions of prey. An extraordinary trick of natures makes it possible for swordfish to adapt to temperatures reliably. During hunting, they can regulate their own body temperature, especially of the brain and eyes, independent of their natural habitat. The ocean predators warm their eyes to 15 °C higher than the ambient temperature. As a result, they achieve a 6 to 12-time better resolution in cold water than with unheated eyes. Rapidly swimming prey are discovered more easily. The predators can also react more quickly thanks to the increased temperature in their muscles and nerve system. Even at temperatures close to freezing, swordfish can increase the temperature of their eyes and brain to 19 to 28 °C and have a clear advantage over their prey.
The regulation method is essential for the bony fish. In their natural habit, swordfish profit from their heated eyes down to a depth of 500 meters. The advantage of their heated eyes is useful above all in habitats, in which the water temperature already declines greatly shortly below the water surface. The perchlike Acanthopterygii can compensate well for the temperature drop of the water using their visual organ.
In the same way as swordfish adapt temperatures lightning fast to their advantage when hunting, refrigerating engineering profits thanks to the innovative systems from Huber. Huber sets standards when it is a question of fast and reliable adjustment of temperature differences.