h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I kid you not

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8130907.stm

But it's no wonder global warming should have that effect. Everyone knows what happens when you wash wool too hot...

And people say *MY* jokes are bad!

I saw this first on the news, someone commented that they think the breed is "evolving" - I would rather think the word they were seeking was "adapting" unless of course, we can see evolution occurring

If the individual sheep are staying the same size but new generations are smaller than their parents, then it is evolution.

Amazing!

This suggests that smaller sheep are better suited for the terrain and available forage and that the harsh winters kept them larger than whatever the optimum size would be.

(This is not to put a good face on global warming, or to suggest that chihuahua size sheep are a good thing - it's just a surprising turn)

When I saw the title in my postings list, I thought this would be in 2legs' journal

No, it's just something that he ought to be blamed for.

This does raise the question of how this thread came this far without someone using the smiley.

(ish)

I used it in post one, but it was filthy and needed a wash. Then it shrunk

I recall when even pre-shrunk wool items shrunk _after_ you bought 'em!

Now they'll be pre-pre-shrunk

That's progress fer ya!



(They'll still shrink even more, of course...)

(To the size of lint, perhaps)

Yep. Soon there'll be a practical purpose to navel-gazing...

=

They are now called 'Shep', not to be confused with a sheepdog that famously appeared on a BBC children's program called Blue Peter.

If the, , 'contractions' continue, they'll be 'She', much to the annoyance of the male of the species, but 'Hep' seemed to indicate some Egyptian diety and caused confusion amongst the Scientists, not forgetting archaelogists!

Further reductions would result in , before they disappear down the S-bend of extinction entirely...

That's 'Soay' are going these days!!!

Mutton get upset about it! The press will just mint it for all it is worth.

MMF