No need for bionic squirrels

Normal ones will do — Squirrels wield a hot, secret weapon:

The ground squirrel heats up its tail then waves it in the snake’s face - a form of harassment that confuses the rattler, which has an infrared sensing organ for detecting small mammals.

…

The squirrels themselves do not see in infrared, so they cannot see another squirrel’s tail heating up. But the snakes can, proving that the squirrels have evolved a specific way to deter rattlesnakes.

Kristen’s dad really needs to watch out.

• 14 Aug 2007

• Thinking