A polar bear's fur isn't white. "It's sort of translucent," said Stirling. "It reflects light, so it gives the impression of ...

Now, researchers have discovered the bears have another unexpected Arctic adaptation: greasy fur. It’s a trait that, ...

Polar bears have black skin. The polar bear’s fur is also translucent, and only appears white because it reflects visible light - AdobeStock The international study found that a unique mix of lipids ...

Polar bears need all the help they can get to survive their frosty Arctic environment. One of their biggest survival secrets appears to be greasy hair. The sebum–or hair grease–on their fur ...

“Unwashed, greasy hair made it much harder for ice to stick. In contrast, when the polar bear fur was washed and the grease largely removed it performed similarly to human hair, to which ice ...

Scientists have discovered the anti-icing secret of polar bear fur -- something that allows one of the planet's most iconic animals to survive and thrive in one of its most punishing climates.

“Unwashed, greasy hair made it much harder for ice to stick. In contrast, when the polar bear fur was washed and the grease largely removed it performed similarly to human hair, to which ice sticks ...

Senior author Bodil Holst, a physicist at the University of Bergen in Norway, was inspired to investigate polar bear fur after watching a TV quiz program, she tells Michael Le Page at New Scientist.

The animals spend their lives in cold climates, sometimes rolling around in snow, but walking away without any of it clinging to their fur. After researching, scientists found that a polar bear's ...