Mooooove Over, Cows! Kangaroo Farts Warm the Earth, Too
By: James Gaines, Live Science Contributor
In the 1970's, scientists believed kangaroos don't produce methane (fart), but now they are rethinking that statement! New findings suggest that kangaroos do not produce as much methane as cows but just as much as animals their own size, like horses. Scientists want to reduce the impact of methane because it is the most effective at trapping heat, making it one of the most threatening greenhouse gases. Researchers have not totally abandoned the theory of kangaroos having special gut microbes that produce low amounts of methane. Either way, it just makes kangaroos even cooler.
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ReflectionWhen I first saw the name of this article, I busted out laughing. After calming down, I wondered why kangaroos farting was a big deal since I thought all animals fart. It was fun to learn about the possible unique physiology of Australia's scariest animal. I still don't exactly know how scientists are going to tackle the methane issue, but I found it interesting that when the cows' food is converted to methane, they lose nutrients. Global Warming continues to be a big threat to the planet and, I hope and pray that it does not spell the end of us humans. However, it's kind of funny knowing that our lives (kind of) hang in the balance of whether kangaroos fart or not.
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Source: http://www.livescience.com/52698-kangaroo-farts-produce-methane.html |