On Human Homeostasis and Car Radiators

It is surprising just how many parallels you can draw between the function of the human body and a car's engine. For example, radiators (along with the rest of a car's cooling system) have the crucial function of preventing the engine from overheating, and this can be compared to how a person's body works to maintain constant body temperature. While these two systems are not exactly the same, they are similar in a way.

When temperatures become elevated, the human body perspires to cause heat to be drawn away from the skin as the perspiration evaporates. For water-cooled cars, this is like the circulating coolant that draws excess heat away from the engine, and to the radiator. Beyond certain temperature levels, however, the body stops perspiring, which brings on a fast transition to heat stroke, which is analogous to engine failure in an automobile. The bottom line here: just as mechanisms for homeostasis are important in keeping a person alive, a cooling system is crucial for a car, and without either of them, there would be trouble.

You wouldn't last long in the summer heat if your body cannot maintain a constant temperature; so you should understand just how crucial it is for your car to have a working cooling system. That said, the good news is that you have the choice of buying quality parts for your car, which you should only source from trusted suppliers. It's not “just” a radiator; it's your car's chance at life.