Elephants ought to get a lot of cancer. They’re huge animals, weighing as much as eight tons. It takes a lot of cells to make up that much elephant.

All of those cells arose from a single fertilized egg, and each time a cell divides, there’s a chance that it will gain a mutation — one that may lead to cancer.

Strangely, however, elephants aren’t more prone to cancer than smaller animals. Some research even suggests they get less cancer than humans do.

Continue reading “The ‘Zombie Gene’ That May Protect Elephants From Cancer” →

About 50 million years ago, dog-like mammals returned to the seas, eventually evolving into whales and dolphins. Around then, too, an early cousin of elephants took the plunge, giving rise to manatees and dugongs.

About 20 million years later, bearlike mammals also waded back into the sea, evolving into seals, sea lions and walruses.

Each of these marine species adapted to the aquatic life in its own way. Manatees and dugongs slowly graze on sea grass. Seals and their relatives dive deep underwater after prey, but still haul themselves onto beaches to mate and rear pups.

Continue reading “Marine Mammals Have Lost a Gene That Now They May Desperately Need” →

The New York Times, August 2, 2018

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