Star Nosed Mole Can Smell Underwater

January 16th, 2008

Star nosed mole SI’m struggling to figure out which is the coolest part of this story - that such a thing as a star-nosed mole exists, with its crazy nasal tentacles, that it can swim underwater, or that when it’s swimming it can sniff out tasty morsels of food. I think this makes the star-nosed mole triply-awesome. Or maybe aweome3. From New Scientist:

High speed video footage shows that the star-nosed mole and the water shrew sniff through water by quickly re-inhaling the air bubbles that leave their nostrils.
Based on these counter-intuitive findings, researchers speculate that other semi-aquatic mammals might also have the capacity to pick up on underwater scents.

Video below the fold…

Entry Filed under: General

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4 Comments Add your own

  • 1. M@  |  January 19th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    cool. Didn’t even know they existed.
    If you like that check this.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp8aqKKfQ8U

  • 2. Frank the SciencePunk  |  January 21st, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    way ahead of you, bro.
    link

    definitely awesome.

  • 3. Ash  |  January 27th, 2008 at 5:36 pm

    I was just impressed by the size of a regular moles mits compared to it’s face! The smelling under water super power may have tipped the balance to this being my new favourite mole.

  • 4. kayne  |  February 11th, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    hey i hate a star nosed mole they are ugly bye

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