A team from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior found that the brains of European mole rats shrink by 11% before winter and grow back by 4% by summer. Such brain-shrinking mammals are known for reversibly shrinking their brains through a process known as Denier’s phenomenon. The European mole is the latest known species. However, the study doesn’t just add a bizarre species to animals with shrinking brains; it delves into the evolutionary mystery of what drives them down this dangerous path. When the researchers compared moles from different regions, they found that Denar’s phenomenon was caused by the cold environment, not just a lack of food. Reducing brain tissue helps animals use less energy to fight off the cold.
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