UNDATED (CNN) -- Ever wonder why elephants have hair on their heads? Well, a team of Princeton University scientists has found the answer: to keep them cool.
The hairy covering of other animals helps keep them warm in cold weather.
But the Princeton study found the sparse hair of the elephant, which tends to be found in hot climates, helps carry heat away from the animal's skin and into the air.
The team found that in a slight breeze, the elephant's hair can enhance its ability to lose heat by up to 23 percent.
The findings were published in an academic journal last week.