Scientists identify two new species of a big, strange flying squirrel
In many ways, these are like the flying squirrels that live in North American forests, just supersized. They have a big patagium, the parachute-like membrane that stretches from ankles to wrists.
“It’s a flying squirrel that lives in a bit of a more barren landscape,” Helgen said. “We think of the flying squirrel as a forest animal, gliding from tree to tree. These may glide more often from cliff top to cave mouth, over to lower ground or to lower slopes.”As for why it needs those unusual teeth, Helgen said, “The going theory is that this animal eats mostly pine needles. That’s a very, very strange thing for an animal to do.
Pine needles are not very nutritious, and they’re full of noxious chemicals the tree puts out expressly to stop animals from eating them. Said Helgen: “The fact that this thing has, over 10 million years, evolved this special capacity to make its living off needles is pretty extraordinary and a pretty cool adaptation on the roof of the world in the middle of nowhere.”Sciuridae“I think it comes down to really fundamental principles about science and nature, including questions like, ‘How rich is life on Earth? How many species do we share this planet with as our home?’” Helgen said.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
The Himalayas’ Vanishing Act: Underestimated Glacier Loss UnveiledNew research reveals that ice being lost from glaciers that flow into lakes in the Himalayas has been significantly underestimated. This discovery has critical implications for predicting the demise of the region’s glaciers and for managing critical water resources. Ice loss from Himalayan glacie
Lire la suite »
Perspective | There’s no good reason to keep Caitlin Clark out of the WNBA draftPerspective: Women in college should have the same opportunity as the men playing on the same courts or fields to leave it behind for the professional ranks, Kevin B. Blackistone writes.
Lire la suite »
Perspective | A streetwise hustler turns into a single father of two sonsA con man and drug addict has a near death experience that sets the stage for him to become a 60 year old single father of two toddlers
Lire la suite »
Scientists Have Overcome the “Biggest Roadblock” to Regenerating the Human HeartEngineered stem cells do not provoke dangerous heart rhythms, a challenge that has prevented the progress of stem cell transplants for damaged hearts. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle have successfully created stem cells that do not cause dangerous arrhythmi
Lire la suite »
New Potential for Immunotherapy: Scientists Shed Light on How Immune Cells Respond to Cancer CellsAccording to a recent study, immune responses could potentially be enhanced even in patients who do not exhibit any visible clinical response. A research team has, for the first time, identified and analyzed the process by which immune cells 'see' and react to cancer cells. This provides valuable i
Lire la suite »
Curving the Fabric of Space – Scientists Develop a New Quantum MaterialAn international team, headed by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), has created a quantum material that allows the fabric of the space inhabited by electrons to be curved on demand. The advent of cutting-edge information and communication technologies presents scientists and industry with new hurd
Lire la suite »