The deceptively cute Gray Jay is one of the most intrepid birds in North America, living in northern forests year-round and rearing chicks in the dark of winter. Highly curious and always on the lookout for food, Gray Jays eat just about anything, from berries to small animals. They may even land on your hand to grab a raisin or peanut.
A thermal insulator is something that prevents heat from moving from one place to another. There are 3 main ways that heat can travel: convection, conduction, and radiation. Typically the phrase 'thermal insulator' refers to a material that blocks conduction.
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. A material that readily transmits energy is a conductor, while one that resist energy transfer is called an insulator. There are different types of conductors and insulators because there are different forms of energy. Materials that conduct electrons, protons, or ions are electrical conductors. They conduct electricity. Usually, electrical conductors have loosely bound electrons. Materials that conduct heat are thermal conductors. Substances that transfer sound are acoustical conductors. There are corresponding insulators for each type of conductor.