Hero shrews have one of the most bizarre spines—and we don’t know why

Österreich Nachrichten Nachrichten

Hero shrews have one of the most bizarre spines—and we don’t know why
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten,Österreich Schlagzeilen
  • 📰 NatGeo
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 51 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 24%
  • Publisher: 51%

No one knows why the hero shrew evolved super spine strength and flexibility

That’s because bones react to repeated, high-magnitude stresses by building more bone. Just as humans lose bone mass during long periods of bed rest, similar changes may occur in the bones of captive hero shrews, which may offer clues into the how and why of wild shrews’ spines.

“A simple example is the right and left hand of professional tennis players,” Barak says in an email. “In their strong hand, the cortex of their radius is much thicker due to repeating high stresses.”Barak says that whereas the hero shrew’s adaptations are “definitely unique,” there are many other animals whose spinal structures have evolved in dramatic ways to accommodate their lifestyles.No giant and no elephants here.

Take the spine holding you up right now. By the time a person reaches adulthood, five vertebrae at the base of the spine fuse together to form a base for the vertebral column, called the sacrum. Such a permanent fusing—which helps support our upright posture—might be considered even more extreme than the hero shrew’s interlocking vertebrae, Barak says.

Nearly all mammals have seven vertebrae in their necks, but a few slow-moving species, such as sloths and manatees, have bucked that trend by evolving fewer or more vertebrae. That’s likely because their mostly

Wir haben diese Nachrichten zusammengefasst, damit Sie sie schnell lesen können. Wenn Sie sich für die Nachrichten interessieren, können Sie den vollständigen Text hier lesen. Weiterlesen:

NatGeo /  🏆 537. in US

Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen

Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.

South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero Tutu to lie in state at St. George’s CathedralSouth Africa’s anti-apartheid hero Tutu to lie in state at St. George’s CathedralThe body of Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrived at Cape Town’s St George’s Cathedral on Thursday morning, where it will lie in state for two days for mourners to pay their final respects.
Weiterlesen »

The Great American Hero Won't Close After AllThe Great American Hero Won't Close After AllFans of The Great American Hero were crushed last summer when news broke that the colorful little sandwich shop on Lemmon Avenue would close before the end of the year. Now, it seems that 2022 is off to a good start, at least for sandwich lovers. The shop, the last...
Weiterlesen »

Doctor Strange 2 Art Gives Best Look Yet At MCU's Newest Hero AmericaDoctor Strange 2 Art Gives Best Look Yet At MCU's Newest Hero AmericaDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness product art gives the best look yet at the MCU's newest inter-dimensional hero, America Chavez.
Weiterlesen »

Kang's New Challenge Might Bring a Surprising Hero to the Marvel UniverseKang's New Challenge Might Bring a Surprising Hero to the Marvel UniverseMarvel's new Timeless tease of future comics could be the publisher's own riff on Doomsday Clock, for better or worse.
Weiterlesen »

An exclusive 1st look at 'Star Trek: Discovery – The Book of Grudge' from Hero CollectorAn exclusive 1st look at 'Star Trek: Discovery – The Book of Grudge' from Hero CollectorA book about cats and 'Star Trek' – what's not to love?! 'Star Trek: Discovery – The Book of Grudge' is available for pre-order meow.
Weiterlesen »

Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero Motherboards Are Burning up | Digital TrendsAsus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero Motherboards Are Burning up | Digital TrendsVarious reports of the Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero, one of the most powerful motherboards on the market, burning up have emerged in recent days.
Weiterlesen »



Render Time: 2025-03-31 12:57:12