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Articles on Mammals

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Sabre-tooth tiger Smilodon meets the South American marsupial, Thylacosmilus. This is a classic image of supposedly ‘superior northerners’ outcompeting ‘inferior southerners’, but such meetings actually rarely happened as many of the southern species had already gone extinct. 'The rise of Smilodon', Hodari Nundu

South America is filled with mammals of North American origin but not vice versa – and scientists have figured out why

Why were mammals travelling south through newly-formed Panama so much more successful than those heading north?
A small colony of Townsend’s big eared bats at Lava Beds National Monument, Calif. Shawn Thomas, NPS/Flickr

It’s wrong to blame bats for the coronavirus epidemic

The value that bats provide to humans by pollinating crops and eating insects is far greater than harm from virus transmission – which is mainly caused by human actions.
Artistic view of the evolution of elephants. From left to right, Moeritherium (30 million years old), Deinotherium (5 million years old) and a modern African elephant. Alex Bernardini (Simplex Paléo) and Sophie Vrard (Creaphi).

How did elephants evolve such a large brain? Climate change is part of the answer

A shift in climate, along with other environmental disruptions and the invasion of competitors and new predators all likely played an important role in reshaping ancient elephants’ brains.
Some tropical frogs may be developing resistance to a fungus that has devastated species like Atelopus varius, the variable harlequin frog. Brian Gratwicke/Wikimedia

The animal world is still awesome: 3 essential reads

A look at new research published in 2018 on fossa, deepsea corals and tropical frogs developing resistance to a deadly fungus.
The dingo, Australia’s largest mammalian carnivore, has a broad diet that varies across the continent. Judy Dunlop

Dingo dinners: what’s on the menu for Australia’s top predator?

A survey of 32,000 samples of dingo droppings and stomach contents reveal that this predator’s appetite is as wide-ranging as Australia’s landscapes. But medium and large mammals are top of the menu.

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