Science
Study of long-clawed shrew skulls from Japan shows that while skulls get smaller in winter, snouts elongate
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Global — Nicola Davis Science correspondent
Study of long-clawed shrew skulls from Japan shows that while skulls get smaller in winter, snouts elongate
Humans turn to heated blankets and fluffy socks to cope with winter, but long-clawed shrews have a very different adaptation: they increase the size of their snouts.
Researchers have previously discovered that certain small mammals, including the common shrew and European mole , reversibly shrink their body mass, skull size and brain mass in winter, with regrowth seen in the spring – a strategy that has been named Dehnel’s phenomenon.
Humans turn to heated blankets and fluffy socks to cope with winter, but long-clawed shrews have a very different adaptation: they increase the size of their snouts.
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. The wire sent a summary; open the original for any extra context. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian · Nicola Davis Science correspondent. Published 18 Aug 2026, 11:01 pm.
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