thermogenesis

“They reward the visiting insects with warmth by generating heat through thermogenesis, which also serves as a torch to attract pollinators during flowering and aids in spreading volatiles far away in the forest. Thus, the titan arum uses visual, thermal and chemical cues to exploit carrion flies and other insects for pollination.”

"Cold exposure is also related to thermogenesis and inflammation," the authors write.

It stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, a heavy-sounding term for light-intensity physical activity, said Dr. Jacquelyn Kulinski, an associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she directs the Preventive Cardiology Program.

However, thermogenesis had not been formally investigated before.

"We were very surprised," Miyamoto recalls, "when we found that the floral organs of the P. odorifer actually generated heat. Although it was relatively easy to predict that beetles would be found in the inflorescences, we did not expect to discover floral thermogenesis, both in male and female reproductive organs."