Brian Roebuck
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Caver
Caving - the one activity that really brings you to your knees!
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Post by Brian Roebuck on Sept 6, 2008 7:57:51 GMT -5
Echolocation might have evolved more than once in bats Washington, Fri, 05 Sep 2008ANI Washington, September 5 (ANI): A collaborative study conducted by English and Chinese researchers suggests that echolocation might have evolved more than once in bats. Working with researcher from East China Normal University in Shanghai, Professor Gareth Jones of the University of Bristol and Dr Stephen Rossiter of Queen Mary, University of London investigated the evolution of a gene called Prestin in echolocating bats, mammals with the most sensitive hearing at high frequencies. Prestin codes for a protein of the outer hair cells, the tiny structures in the inner ear that help to give mammals their sensitive hearing. Important mutations occurred during the emergence of mammals that led to the evolution of Prestin from similar proteins. Since mammals evolved, it has been argued that the Prestin gene has changed little. www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/15272
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