Science knows why Rudolph's nose is red

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ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Santa's reindeer Rudolph really does have a red nose and it's because of the way his body deals with cold temperatures, European researchers say.

Scientists from Rotterdam's Erasmus University with colleagues from Norway discovered reindeer have a high concentration of blood vessels in their noses, which are important in temperature regulation when it gets very cold and causes their noses to turn bright pink, DutchNews.nl reported.

"These factors explain why the nose of Rudolph, the lead flying reindeer employed by Santa Claus to pull his sleigh, is red and well-adapted to carrying out his duties in extreme temperatures," Rotterdam Professor Can Ince said.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, involved two adult reindeer from Tromso, Norway, north of the Arctic Circle.