Rodents of Unusual Size Lead Scientist to Pleistoscene Petroglyphs

One of my family’s favorite movies is The Princess Bride. It has pirates, sword fights, giants (ok, really only one) and true love. What is not to like?

In fact, I love everything about the movie except for one scene, and that is the fire swamp and its rodents of unusual size (or RUSes as they are referred to in the movie). My complaint about this particular scene is that while the hero is being attacked by one of these creatures, the heroine can do nothing more useful than stand about and scream. As a result, from the first time they discovered the movie my children have been required to recite the following before they can watch it: “If I am ever in a swamp and my companion is attacked by a large rodent, I will NOT stand about and scream; I will pick up the sword and save them.” 

However, after reading a release from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, about one of their discoveries, I think I may have to amend this statement. CSIRO researcher (and rat expert) Dr. Ken Aplin was searching for fossilized bones of giant rats in a well-know cave in East Timor when he happened to look up Continue reading “Rodents of Unusual Size Lead Scientist to Pleistoscene Petroglyphs”