University of Colorado Researchers Discover Ancient Arctic Mammal Species Surviving Extreme Conditions
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder, in collaboration with other scientists, have uncovered three previously unknown species of rodent-like mammals in northern Alaska. These species, which lived more than 70 million years ago, were discovered through fossil teeth found in the Prince Creek Formation. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that these mammals, belonging to the extinct group known as multituberculates, thrived in the harsh Arctic environment, enduring months of darkness and freezing temperatures. The species, named Camurodon borealis, Qayaqgruk peregrinus, and Kaniqsiqcosmodon polaris, show significant differences in tooth shape, indicating varied diets that likely contributed to their survival. 
