Genome Breakthrough Offers Lifeline for Australia’s ‘Functionally Extinct’ Frog
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Scientists have successfully sequenced the genome of the critically endangered Southern corroboree frog, providing a crucial foundation for research that could help save this ancient amphibian from extinction.
📈 One key stat: The frog’s genome is enormous – three times the size of a human’s – making it one of the largest frog genomes ever sequenced and revealing unusual evolutionary characteristics.
💬 One key quote: “They’re quite unique frogs. They belong to this ancient family of frogs that’s only found in Australia. They’re about 100m years old.“
1️⃣ The big picture: Scientists have completed the decade-long task of sequencing the genome of Australia’s critically endangered Southern corroboree frog. This striking yellow and black amphibian, belonging to a 100-million-year-old frog family, is considered functionally extinct in the wild due to disease and climate change impacts. The frog survives only in temporary pools and peat bogs of Kosciuszko national park with assistance from zoo breeding programs. Having this genome data creates new possibilities for conservation efforts, particularly in developing strategies to combat the devastating chytrid fungus disease that has decimated populations of this species and many other amphibians worldwide.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The genome sequencing provides conservationists with vital genetic information that could unlock pathways to increase the species’ resistance to deadly chytrid fungus. Researchers can now explore methods such as selective breeding and genetic engineering specifically targeted at increasing disease resistance in these frogs. This breakthrough comes at a critical time for amphibians, which are currently the most threatened vertebrate class on Earth. The scientific approach developed for the corroboree frog could potentially serve as a model for helping other frog species threatened by disease and climate change, offering hope beyond just this single species.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers have already begun using the genome data to explore the species’ susceptibility to chytrid fungus. They’re testing methods including selective breeding and genetic engineering to increase resistance in these frogs. This work will continue over the next 5-10 years, potentially creating a proof-of-concept approach that could help other threatened amphibian species.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – Scientists hope sequencing genome of tiny ‘functionally extinct’ frog could help save it
