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Carrion Flies Used To Find New Species

Posted by Unknown on from the delightfully-festering dept.

sciencehabit writes "If carrion flies have one enviable talent, it's finding animal carcasses in the wilderness, something they surpass even the most systematic and intrepid field biologists at doing. Now, researchers may be able to capitalize on the insects' gruesome gift to survey biodiversity. Capture the flies, a new study shows, and DNA from their last meals will tell you which animals live in the area. In addition to scanning an area's biodiversity, the technique has the potential to reveal species that are new to science."

3 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. They won't find PLANTS by For+a+Free+Internet · · Score: 0, Funny

    Plants are people, too. Stop ignoring plants, scientists. You are all a bunch of plant-haters.

    Vegetarians are the worst offenders. They are mass murderers, literally, literally. Humans should respect our plant sisters and brothers and stop eating mushrooms and other plants.

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  2. Wrong! by Mikkeles · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...their last meals will tell you which animals live in the area.

    I think they mean: ...their last meals will tell you which animals died in the area.

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    Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
  3. Flies by oodaloop · · Score: 4, Funny

    Time flies like an arrow. Carrion flies like a carcass.

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    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.