Male mice sing ultrasonic love songs

[Elmore Furth]

Can the iPOD music file be far behind?

Male mice drive females wild with ultrasonic love songs, suggests a new study.

Since song quality varies, the mice world has its Justin Timberlake-like stars that impress females with their talents more than other willing, but not so able, males do.

While no one is yet certain what makes a "hit love song" in the mice world, lead author Kerstin Musolf told Discovery News that "it could be a question of different syllable types or endurance in singing or a combination of both -- all together it could help the female to choose the best mate."

Using special equipment, the researchers recorded and observed offspring of house mice caught at three locations in Ganserndorf, Austria. When males got a whiff of scent from available, non-related, adult females, they sang their hearts out at varying degrees. Females were more attracted to songs crooned by unfamiliar males that weren't related to them.


Male mice sing ultrasonic love songs

[pepperbear]

1. boy band!

[Tesha]

2. Well, when you're a pan-dimensional being...

...you're able to do all sorts of cool stuff!

Tesha