I topi "cantano" per amore o per difendere il territorio: studiare questo fenomeno è utile per trovare possibili cure a balbuzie e autismo. È giunto a queste conclusioni un gruppo di ricercatori coordinato dalla Università di Washington, che ha pubblicato uno studio sulla rivista Current Biology.
Grazie a registrazioni video ad altissima velocità, gli scienziati hanno scoperto che i roditori diffondono ultrasuoni. Questo meccanismo è attualmente noto solo per i rumori emessi nelle applicazioni del flusso supersonico, come ad esempio il decollo verticale e l'atterraggio di aerei con motori a reazione.
Questi animaletti hanno le stesse mutazioni genetiche degli esseri umani per ciò che riguarda disturbi del linguaggio e del comportamento, per questo motivo è importante capire cosa scatta nel loro cervello quando si esprimono con questi particolari "suoni sociali".
ATS/mamo
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