Entry 191

The South American Monito del Monte ... related to the oldest known Australian marsupial.

A marsupial is a plantigrade vertebrate whose specialty is its pocket.
Mark Twain

A primitive, mouse-sized animal that lived 55 million years ago in southern Queensland could have been the ancestor of all of Australia's unique marsupials, including koalas, kangaroos and possums, a new study shows.
Deborah Smith

On seeing the marsupials in Australia for the first time and comparing them to placental mammals: "An unbeliever . . . might exclaim 'Surely two distinct Creators must have been at work".
Charles Darwin

Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas.
www.theage.com.au/news/climate-watch