This story was originally published in The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Tuatara—the ancient, slow-moving, “living fossil” reptiles unique to New Zealand—have surprised researchers with their fast-moving sperm. The discovery came amid a new effort by scientists to gather and preserve the sperm of the protected at-risk species, to try to ensure it survives new threats and a warming planet. Tuatara themselves are ponderous creatures, sometimes taking 16 months to hatch, and 35 years to reach full size of about half a meter. They…
