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Ancient Flying Squirrel Reveals North America's Climate History

2/28/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking discovery at Tennessee's Gray Fossil Site has unveiled a 4.9-million-year-old giant flying squirrel, Miopetaurista webbi, once believed to inhabit only Eurasia. This revelation sheds light on their migration to North America through the Bering Land Bridge, showcasing how they flourished in warm forests before climate shifts during the Ice Ages sealed their fate.

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Story summary

A groundbreaking discovery at Tennessee's Gray Fossil Site has unveiled a 4.9-million-year-old giant flying squirrel, Miopetaurista webbi, once believed to inhabit only Eurasia. This revelation sheds light on their migration to North America through the Bering Land Bridge, showcasing how they flourished in warm forests before climate shifts during the Ice Ages sealed their fate.