New Hope for Tasmanian Devils

The Tasmanian devil is a feisty animal, and researchers have of late discovered how the species may be becoming extinct. When fighting, the Tasmanian devil spreads facial cancer from biting one another's faces. The cancerous growth, which chokes off the mouth and spreads to other organs, has wiped out 60 percent of the species since 1996. Scientists originally thought the animal was falling prey to a virus that would obliterate the species in 35 years, but eventually discovered the cancer through gene sequencing. The tumor cells have evolved from Schwann cells to parasite; the discovery may help scientist discover a vaccine.