What hibernating bears and 'couch potato' cavefish are teaching us about blood clots and fatty liver disease

Tiny Matters

Although we look very different from many of the other creatures on this planet, we’re more connected than you might think. Our evolutionary history means we share many of the same genes and physiology, and that’s not just cool to think about — it’s useful. Because it means that, to learn about the things we lack or wish we could do better, we can study the exceptional abilities of other animals.
In today's episode, Sam and Deboki cover two species with extreme lifestyles— brown bears and Mexican cave fish — and what they are teaching us about avoiding blood clots and fatty liver disease, and how that could unlock the potential for new treatments. In this week’s Tiny Show and Tell, Sam asks "What is a species?" and Deboki ponders how a mushroom could grow out of a living frog.
Links to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. Support the show by picking up a Tiny Matters mug here! All Tiny Matters transcripts are available here.

Chapters

1. What hibernating bears and 'couch potato' cavefish are teaching us about blood clots and fatty liver disease (00:00:00)

2. Evolution means we can compare ourselves to other animals to learn what we're missing (00:00:01)

3. Bears in Sweden's forests are teaching us about blood clotting (00:01:57)

4. Mexican Cave Fish Evolution and Adaptation (00:10:15)

5. What is a species, anyway? (00:17:22)

6. The Mystery of Mushroom-Frog Symbiosis (00:20:07)

7. Episode Credits and Contact Information (00:24:42)