Rodents and Shrews | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/rodents-and-shrews/RSS feed for Rodents and ShrewsenFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Can Slow Aging and Extend Life Span, Mouse Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Older female mice—equivalent in age to 60-year-old women—given daily injections of the active ingredient in Ozempic lived about 12 percent longer than animals that didn't receive the drugFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Cast Your Vote for the Chunkiest Alpine Rodent During Colorado's First-Ever Fat Marmot Weekhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cast-your-vote-for-the-chunkiest-alpine-rodent-during-colorados-first-ever-fat-marmot-week-180989395/The inaugural competition puts eight yellow-bellied marmots head-to-head while shining a light on the science behind their seasonal weight gain and survival at high elevationsTue, 25 Aug 2026 19:33:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cast-your-vote-for-the-chunkiest-alpine-rodent-during-colorados-first-ever-fat-marmot-week-180989395/These Tiny Shrews Grow Bigger Snouts and Shrink Their Brains to Survive Harsh Winters, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-shrews-grow-bigger-snouts-and-shrink-their-brains-to-survive-harsh-winters-study-suggests-180989369/Scientists have long known that some small mammals reduce their brain size during cold months and regrow them in the spring. Long-clawed shrews from Hokkaido, Japan, seem to follow that pattern—while their noses surprisingly do the oppositeTue, 25 Aug 2026 15:36:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-shrews-grow-bigger-snouts-and-shrink-their-brains-to-survive-harsh-winters-study-suggests-180989369/Naked Mole-Rat Queens Emit a Special Scent to Stop Their Rivals From Reproducing, a New Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rat-queens-emit-a-special-scent-to-stop-their-rivals-from-reproducing-a-new-study-suggests-180989148/The strange-looking creatures are one of two known mammals that use a social structure like that of bees and ants. A ruling rodent maintains power over her colony via one key chemical compound, according to new researchTue, 21 Jul 2026 19:14:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rat-queens-emit-a-special-scent-to-stop-their-rivals-from-reproducing-a-new-study-suggests-180989148/Here's How These Adorable Mice Can Live at an Extremely High Elevation Where No Other Mammal Is Known to Residehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-how-these-adorable-mice-can-live-at-an-extremely-high-elevation-where-no-other-mammal-is-known-to-survive-180989116/The Andean leaf-eared mouse has adaptations that help it generate body heat efficiently in frigid, low-oxygen conditions at 22,000 feet above sea level, according to a new studyTue, 14 Jul 2026 18:45:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-how-these-adorable-mice-can-live-at-an-extremely-high-elevation-where-no-other-mammal-is-known-to-survive-180989116/