Whose discovery explained why koalas can digest eucalyptus leaves despite their toxicity?
Quick Answer
Researchers in comparative genomics, not one person, identified adaptations in the koala genome; the koala genome project was published in 2018.
The Full Story
Koalas can survive on eucalyptus because of a combination of digestive and genetic adaptations, not because of a single discovery by one scientist. A major koala genome project published in 2018 identified genes linked to detoxification, taste, smell, and nutrition that help the animal cope with a toxic diet. The koala gut also relies on microbes to process tough plant material. This research helped explain how a specialist mammal can live on a food source that is dangerous to many other species.
Key Facts
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