Andean leaf-eared mouse adapts to an unrivalled high life

July 24 : High up on volcano summits, the Andean leaf-eared mouse is showing how life can thrive in places where humans cannot. This plucky rodent, according to researchers, has evolved an unusual mix of metabolic and genetic adaptations that help it survive across the broadest elevation range known for any mammal.This mouse, known for its rounded leaf-shaped ears, inhabits a punishing landscape: from the desert coast of northern Chile to the crest of the Andes, the vast mountain range running along the west coast of South America. No other mammal is known to live at such high elevations. "On the summits of approximately 22,000 feet (6,700 meters) peaks where we have trapped these mice, there is less than half the oxygen that is available at sea level, and temperatures are almost always be