SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY
Glyptodonts Were Savvy Batters
from ScienceNOW Daily News
What do ancient armored mammals have in
common with Babe Ruth? They both took
advantage of the "sweet spot."
New research suggests that some species
of giant mammals called glyptodonts swung
their hefty tails like baseball bats,
landing powerful blows with the spot on
their tails that minimizes potentially
harmful vibrations for the slugger.
... Relatives of modern-day armadillos,
glyptodonts arose in South America some 20
million years ago and lived until about
10,000 years ago. They sported a turtlelike
shell and heavy armor on their heads and
tails. The largest species were massive.
Read more...
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