Cancel

gear Push settings

bars

homehome Home chatchat Notifications


This winter is so hot Canada's squirrels are getting fat

The very hot winter of 2015 is having some unexpected consequences: squirrels are getting fat. The winter season for overindulgence has come and passed, but for these little critters in North America and Europe, it left behind a big mark. The mild climate of this winter meant that trees had lots of seeds and nuts, […]

Mihai Andrei
January 12, 2016 @ 11:09 am

share Share

The very hot winter of 2015 is having some unexpected consequences: squirrels are getting fat.

photo credit: @inventor_Artist/Twitter

The winter season for overindulgence has come and passed, but for these little critters in North America and Europe, it left behind a big mark. The mild climate of this winter meant that trees had lots of seeds and nuts, and squirrels took advantage of this to bulk up.


Squirrels cannot digest cellulose, so they must rely on foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fats – which they get from seeds and nuts.

However, their new shape likely won’t last much: the end of the winter and beginning of spring is the roughest period for them, as buried nuts begin to sprout and are no longer available for the squirrel to eat, and new food sources have not become available yet.

share Share

China Now Uses 80% Artificial Sand. Here's Why That's A Bigger Deal Than It Sounds

No need to disturb water bodies for sand. We can manufacture it using rocks or mining waste — China is already doing it.

Over 2,250 Environmental Defenders Have Been Killed or Disappeared in the Last 12 Years

The latest tally from Global Witness is a grim ledger. In 2024, at least 146 people were killed or disappeared while defending land, water and forests. That brings the total to at least 2,253 deaths and disappearances since 2012, a steady toll that turns local acts of stewardship into mortal hazards. The organization’s report reads less like […]

After Charlie Kirk’s Murder, Americans Are Asking If Civil Discourse Is Even Possible Anymore

Trying to change someone’s mind can seem futile. But there are approaches to political discourse that still matter, even if they don’t instantly win someone over.

Climate Change May Have Killed More Than 16,000 People in Europe This Summer

Researchers warn that preventable heat-related deaths will continue to rise with continued fossil fuel emissions.

New research shows how Trump uses "strategic victimhood" to justify his politics

How victimhood rhetoric helped Donald Trump justify a sweeping global trade war

Biggest Modern Excavation in Tower of London Unearths the Stories of the Forgotten Inhabitants

As the dig deeper under the Tower of London they are unearthing as much history as stone.

Millions Of Users Are Turning To AI Jesus For Guidance And Experts Warn It Could Be Dangerous

AI chatbots posing as Jesus raise questions about profit, theology, and manipulation.

Can Giant Airbags Make Plane Crashes Survivable? Two Engineers Think So

Two young inventors designed an AI-powered system to cocoon planes before impact.

First Food to Boost Immunity: Why Blueberries Could Be Your Baby’s Best First Bite

Blueberries have the potential to give a sweet head start to your baby’s gut and immunity.

Ice Age People Used 32 Repeating Symbols in Caves Across the World. They May Reveal the First Steps Toward Writing

These simple dots and zigzags from 40,000 years ago may have been the world’s first symbols.