Dung Beetles Navigate Via the Milky Way, An Animal-Kingdom First

[IDemo]

Talk about star power—a new study shows that dung beetles navigate via the Milky Way, a first in the animal kingdom.

The tiny insects can orient themselves to the bright stripe of light generated by our galaxy, and move in a line relative to it, according to recent experiments in South Africa.

“This is a complicated navigational feat—it’s quite impressive for an animal that size,” said study co-author Eric Warrant, a biologist at the University of Lund in Sweden.

Moving in a straight line is crucial to dung beetles, which live in a rough-and-tumble world where competition for excrement is fierce. (Play “Dung Beetle Derby” on the National Geographic Kids website.)

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/24/dung-beetles-navigate-via-the-milky-way-an-animal-kingdom-first/

[arcane1]

1. Neat!

Thanks for sharing

[immoderate]

2. Dung beetles are (in a way) the epitome of evolution.

All other animals supply them with sustenance.

--imm

[longship]

3. No shit!?

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

[libodem]

4. hee hee hee

[denbot]

5. Arrrgh, All I need is a ball of poop..

And a star to steer her by..

[TheMadMonk]

6. ...and a hundred billion stars to steer her by. /nt