In drawers of old bones, new clues to the genomes of lost giants. Duke Research Blog, July 7, 2021. A single jawbone from a gorilla-sized lemur that lived nearly 1,500 years ago in Madagascar is providing some of the best genetic clues yet to the lives of these lost giants.
Tag Archives: lemurs
Some unusual creatures are coming out of winter’s slumber. Here’s why scientists are excited.
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Some unusual creatures are coming out of winter’s slumber. Here’s why scientists are excited. Duke Today, March 12, 2021. Animals that hibernate in the wild rarely do so in zoos and sanctuaries, with their climate controls and year-round access to food. But now our closest hibernating relative has gone into true, deep hibernation in captivity for the first time at the Duke Lemur Center. Studying dwarf lemur torpor may help humans safely enter and emerge from suspended states, such as when cardiac surgeons cool patients to slow their hearts for life-saving surgery. Picked up by Inverse, Gizmodo, Smithsonian Magazine here and here, IFLScience and KHOU 11 News Houston.
Lemurs show there’s no single formula for lasting love
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Lemurs show there’s no single formula for lasting love. Duke Today, Feb. 12, 2021. Brain imaging reveals that not all monogamous mammals are “wired for love” in the same way. Picked up by Psychology Today, IFLScience, UPI and BBC Science Focus Magazine.
The surprising reason why some lemurs may be more sensitive to forest loss
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The surprising reason why some lemurs may be more sensitive to forest loss. Duke Today, June 13, 2019. Researchers report that the microbes living in the guts of leaf-eating lemurs like this one are largely shaped by the forests where they live, a finding that could make some species less resilient to deforestation. Picked up by UPI and Cosmos Magazine.
Parasites of Madagascar’s lemurs expanding with climate change
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Parasites of Madagascar’s lemurs expanding with climate change. Duke Lemur Center, January 23, 2013. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns in Madagascar could fuel the spread of lemur parasites and the diseases they carry. The results will help researchers predict where disease hotspots are likely to occur, and prepare for them before they hit. Picked up by Duke News, Futurity, and RedOrbit.