Author: AUFTAU

“A True Chance to Follow My Dream”

Written by AUFTAU on 29 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

TAU medical student Batya Sonnenfeld follows in the footsteps of late Prof. Dina Lev, as the inaugural recipient of memorial scholarship.

Since high school, TAU medical student Batya Sonnenfeld knew she wanted to pursue a medical career. Having grown up in the Chabad ultra-Orthodox education system in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi, though, her choices seemed limited.

“I felt there weren’t many options when I finished high school,” she says. While most ultra-Orthodox institutions do not include a curriculum of core subjects such as math and science needed for academic studies, the Chabad system does and Batya excelled at them. Still, at that point, she was only comfortable with gender-segregated institutions.

A short time later, she enrolled in an undergraduate optometry program at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem for ultra-Orthodox women. “Before I even finished my optometry studies, I knew I wanted to learn more about medicine.”

However, she wasn’t sure she would be able to realize her medical aspirations as academia’s top medical programs seemed extremely challenging to get into and unfamiliar from her upbringing in the ultra-Orthodox education system.

She followed her heart and forged a journey that eventually led her to Tel Aviv University. Today, she is a second-year medical student and the inaugural recipient of the Dina Lev Scholarship, named for late TAU professor and alumna Prof. Dina Lev, who was a leading breast cancer surgeon and researcher.

Relentless Pursuit

Sonnenfeld, the youngest of 12 children, married her husband shortly after earning her optometry degree. “At that point in my life, I felt more stable and mature,” she recalls.

It was then that she began exploring top university medical programs and came across TAU. The four-year accelerated MD track at one of Israel’s top-ranked medical schools appealed to her. She thought it might be a long shot considering the extremely competitive nature of Israeli medical schools, even among students who aren’t from the ultra-Orthodox education system and come with all the advantages and preparations. Determined, Sonnenfeld decided to apply.

“Then I became pregnant and thought that was the end of my medical dreams,” she says.

With encouragement from her husband and parents, she completed the prerequisite courses she needed for enrollment and stayed in the running.

“The day I was accepted to TAU was one of the happiest days of my life,” she beams. “I still have my acceptance letter hanging on my refrigerator. Every time I walk by, it reminds me of what I’m capable of.”

By the time she began her studies, Sonnenfeld had her first child and soon thereafter she gave birth to her second son.

“When I was accepted to TAU, my husband was serving in the IDF with an 800-shekel (approximately $240) salary per month,” she said. Therefore, she continued working to provide for her family and pay for tuition until she received the scholarship.

Perpetuating a Legacy

“The Dina Lev Scholarship gave me space to really focus on my studies, otherwise it would have been extremely difficult to raise children alongside demanding studies and a full-time job,” said Sonnenfeld. She had applied for a scholarship through the Office of the Dean of Students.

Moreover, Sonnenfeld was astonished when she learned she had received the scholarship in Dina Lev’s name.

“By chance, I had read an article about her just a few days before and was so fascinated and inspired by her,” she explains. Sonnenfeld says she was extremely moved when she discovered a Facebook page dedicated to Lev. There, her former patients write touching testimonials about her impact as a compassionate and skilled doctor.

“Each one of them felt like they were her only patient,” said Sonnenfeld. “As a Chabad member and religious Jew, I believe everything happens for a reason; there’s no coincidence. I feel I have a special duty to honor her legacy.”

Lev was a professor at TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Director of the Breast Health Center at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod at the time of her untimely death in 2020 at age 55. She graduated from TAU’s medical program before launching a career that led her to become a top surgeon in Israel. Her father, Reuben Ben-Arie, who lives in US, established the scholarship fund through the American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) to honor her memory. He explains that he chose TAU because it was his daughter’s intellectual home.

“Dina would want a woman to follow in her footsteps,” he says. “It’s not easy to have a family and study medicine. To follow that path shows Batya has a passion for it.”

Sonnenfeld has yet to choose a medical specialty, but she is interested in gynecology and is eager to begin clinical rotations next year at TAU-affiliated hospitals.

“My hope for the future is to be the type of doctor that Prof. Dina Lev was, who touches the lives of patients with compassion even during some of the most difficult times in their lives,” she says.

Win-Win Situation

With two young kids, Sonnenfeld acknowledges that it was challenging to begin her degree at TAU. However, support from the medical faculty helped her ease into the academic rigors in a way that complemented her personal needs.

“I got a parking spot, extra time for tests, and a very nice nursing room at the medical faculty that I could use,” she explains. Furthermore, she is particularly grateful for the tight-knit social support and hospital shadowing through the course Medical Education and Communication (“Chibuki” in Hebrew) led by Dr. Mirit Lahav.

“TAU gave me a true chance to follow my dream,” she enthuses.

Sonnenfeld sees considerable benefits to the growing access of academia for the ultra-Orthodox community. She is among the over 150 students in Trailblazers: The Program for Integrating the Ultra-Orthodox into Tel Aviv University. “Co-ed studying was a concern going into my studies as I had never experienced it before and thought I might be stereotyped, but I felt very accepted,” she says. “There is consideration and respect for my beliefs.”

Established in 2016 with two students, Trailblazers combines academic studies with educational, psychological, and social support services to ease student entry into secular academia.

“I think it’s a win-win situation,” she says. “There are tons of talented potential students, many of whom are women, and a lot of will in the community to go out and learn.”

featured image: TAU medical student Batya Sonnenfeld

BOG 2202: Prajs-Drimmer Fellowships Presented to Students Researching Drug Development

Written by AUFTAU on 27 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

TAU’s Prajs-Drimmer Institute for the Development of Anti-Degenerative Drugs awarded 20 graduate fellowships to students on May 15, during TAU’s Board of Governors meeting. The fellowships were established to bolster the quality of research in the field of anti-degenerative drugs and attract top talent to the University.

The Prajs-Drimmer Institute was founded in 2008 by the families of Sruel Prajs and Norma Drimmer from Berlin, longtime TAU supporters, to promote research for the development of drugs which treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, ALS, and Alzheimer’s as well as cancer.

“The fellowships we award today will nurture a new generation of scientists to lead and shape the field in the coming years,” said Prof. Ariel Porat, TAU President. “Degenerative diseases are a terrible plague that affect much of humanity, and we hope this research will soon lead to real-life results.”

TAU Honorary Doctor Sruel Prajs and his sister, TAU Governor Norma Drimmer, boosted their support for the Institute in 2018 and now, in 2022.

“We’re very happy to contribute to this important topic at TAU. My parents have instilled in my brother and I the values of giving back to society—tzedaka. I’m glad that my children are following in that tradition,” said Norma Drimmer before awarding the fellowships.

Drimmer’s daughter Deborah Fischler and her husband Neil also contributed a doctoral fellowship to the Faculty of Life Sciences.

“The support is the oxygen for the research at our Institute. The recent extension of the support expanded our possibilities to providing fellowships, helping us attract the best and brightest minds,” said Prof. Ronit Pinkas-Kramarski, Director of the Institute.

Norma Drimmer and Prof. Ronit Pinkas-Kramarski with fellowship recipients

The gifts enabled the Institute to accelerate the pace of research and discovery, enhance its scientific standing and promote interdisciplinary collaboration between life sciences and medicine.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Prof. Abdussalam Azem, Dean of the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof. Karen Avraham, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, the Institute’s academic committee members, Governors and friends from TAU’s German and Canadian Friends Associations, researchers, fellowship recipients and TAU students.

Featured image: From left: TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, TAU Governor Norma Drimmer and TAU Vice President Amos Elad (Photo: Israel Hadari)

TAU Researchers Find Gene Mechanism Linked to Autism and Alzheimer’s

Written by AUFTAU on 26 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Illana Gozes from the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, have unraveled a mechanism shared by mutations in certain genes which cause autism, schizophrenia, and other conditions. The researchers also found that an experimental drug previously developed in Prof. Gozes’ lab is effective in lab models for these mutations, and believe the encouraging results may lead to effective treatments for a range of rare syndromes that impair brain functions and cause autism, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

“Some cases of autism are caused by mutations in various genes,” explains Gozes. “Today, we know of more than 100 genetic syndromes associated with autism, 10 of which are considered relatively common (though still extremely rare). In our lab, we focus mainly on one of these, the ADNP syndrome. The ADNP syndrome is caused by mutations in the ADNP gene, which disrupt the function of the ADNP protein, leading to structural defects in the skeleton of neurons in the brain. In the current study, we identified a specific mechanism that causes this damage in mutations in two different genes: ADNP and SHANK3 – a gene associated with autism and schizophrenia. According to estimates, these two mutations are responsible for thousands of cases of autism around the world.”

To start with, the researchers obtained cells from patients with ADNP syndrome. They discovered that when the ADNP protein is defective, neurons with faulty skeletons (microtubules) are formed, impairing brain functions. They also found, however, that ADNP mutations take different forms, some of which cause less damage.

Gozes explains that in some mutations, a section added to the protein protects it and reduces the damage by connecting to a control site of the neuron’s skeletal system and that this same control site is found on SHANK3 – a much studied protein, with mutations that are associated with autism and schizophrenia. “We concluded that the ability to bond with SHANK3 and other similar proteins provides some protection against the mutation’s damaging effects,” she says.

At the next stage of the study, the researchers found additional sites on the ADNP protein that can bond with SHANK3 and similar proteins. One of these sites is located on NAP, a section of ADNP which was developed into an experimental drug, called Davunetide, by Prof. Gozes’ lab.

Moreover, the researchers demonstrated that extended treatment with Davunetide significantly improved the behavior of lab animals with autism caused by SHANK3.

“In previous studies we showed that Davunetide is effective for treating ADNP syndrome models. The new study has led us to believe that it may also be effective in the case of Phelan McDermid syndrome, caused by a mutation in SHANK3, as well as other syndromes that cause autism through the same mechanism,” explains Gozes.

Participants in the study: Dr. Yanina Ivashko-Pachima, Maram Ganaiem, Inbar Ben-Horin-Hazak, Alexandra Lobyntseva, Naomi Bellaiche, Inbar Fischer, Gilad Levy, Dr. Shlomo Sragovich, Dr. Gidon Karmon, and Dr. Eliezer Giladi from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience at TAU, Dr. Boaz Barak from The School of Psychological Sciences, Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at TAU, and Dr. Shula Shazman from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Open University. The paper was published in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry.

BOG 2022: Closner Family Chair for Next Generation Organ and Tissue Implants Inaugurated

Written by AUFTAU on 25 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

TAU inaugurated the Closner Family Chair for Next Generation Organ and Tissue Implants on May 16 during its 2022 Board of Governors meeting. Headed by Prof. Tal Dvir, the Chair will boost TAU’s capacity to pioneer replacement organs and tissues that reduce the need for organ donations and the risk of transplant rejection.

Prof. Dan Peer, TAU Vice President for Research and Development, welcomed Dvir in his new capacity and thanked the Toronto-based Closner family for its support. “Our next-generation organ and tissue transplantation lab, headed by Prof. Dvir, will offer hope to millions of people waiting on transplant lists worldwide,” Peer said.

Dvir is also head of the Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at TAU.

The inauguration took place in the presence of Neil Closner, the Chair benefactor, Prof. Abdussalam Azem, Dean of the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Stephen Adler, head of the Canadian Friends of TAU (Ontario and Western Canada), Peer, Dvir, and Governors and friends of the University.

“The Chair will advance TAU’s standing in the international scientific community,” said Closner, who experienced the complex field first-hand, when his mother underwent double-lung transplant surgery a few years ago. “And I hope to see great things coming from it.”

Following the ceremony, Closner toured the lab facilities accompanied by Dvir and other researchers, who showcased their latest experiments. The Dvir lab recently made international headlines with a breakthrough development of 3D spinal cord implants.

Featured image: From left: Stephen J. Adler, Neil Closner and Prof. Tal Dvir (Photo: Ofer Amram)

BOG 2022: Standout Students Win Michel Gelrubin Prize in Architecture

Written by AUFTAU on 24 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

Three international students and three TAU teams recognized for projects that redefine architecture.

The 2022 Michel Gelrubin Prize in Architecture (MIG Prize) was awarded to students—both from international institutions and from Tel Aviv University—on May 16, at a ceremony held during TAU’s Board of Governors meeting.

Now in its ninth year, the Prize is awarded annually to students from around the world whose work demonstrates a combination of vision and talent in architecture and interior design. This year’s theme was “Extending Architecture,” or concepts that take architecture to unfamiliar domains and thereby redefine the status, form and materiality of the discipline.

TAU Governors Leslie Gelrubin Benitah and Samuel Gelrubin established the Prize in honor of their late father, French philanthropist and real estate investor Michel Gelrubin, who was a dedicated supporter of Israel, education and TAU. Leslie, Samuel and their mother Lyne Gelrubin all attended the ceremony.

Winners were chosen by renowned architect Kobi Karp along with a jury of experts in the fields of design, business, construction, journalism, and architecture.

The international category recipients were:

1st place—Shoya Ishiguro, Waseda University, Toyko
2nd place—Zhuo-ming Shia, Delft Technical University, Netherlands
3rd place—Ramona Scheffer, Delft Technical University, Netherlands

The recipients from TAU’s Azrieli School of Architecture were:

1st place—Barak Weizman and Mai Whiteson
2nd place—Gabriel Abboud and Noa Natanson
3rd place—Raz Baran and Noa Shimoni

“Since 2013, my brother Samuel and I have had the privilege to award architecture students who are looking ahead and imagining the future—students who we hope will have the kinds of careers and opportunities that our jurors have had,” said Leslie Gelrubin Benitah, a member of TAU’s Global Campaign cabinet. “Our goal is to identify new architectural talent and give them the opportunity to get some international recognition.”

Also speaking at the event, TAU Vice President Amos Elad said: “Every year we see the growth of the talent, and we understand the need for this important Prize.”

Prof. Eran Neuman, Dean of the David and Yolanda Katz Faculty of Arts, moderated the event. This year’s selection process saw entries from top global institutions, including Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, McGill University, and Sapienza University of Rome.

For more information on the prize and past winners: https://migprize.com

Featured image: From left: Samuel Gelrubin, 2022 Michel Gelrubin Prize winner Mai Whiteson, and Leslie Gelrubin Benitah. (Photo: Chen Galili)

European Parliament President at TAU: “Where There’s Dialogue, There’s Hope”

Written by AUFTAU on 24 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Sunday visited Tel Aviv University and discussed critical global and regional issues with students in her first stop on a three-day visit to Israel.

Metsola told a packed hall at TAU’s Sourasky Central Library that she would advocate for strengthened ties between Israel and the EU throughout her visit and upon her return to Europe.

A Message of Collaboration and Hope

“I think there is so much we can do together,” she said. “I will take this message with me and pass it on to Israeli and European leaders.”

Metsola, 43, is recognized as part of an emerging generation of leaders in Europe and is the first woman president of the European Parliament in over 20 years.

TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat and TAU Vice President of Research and Development Prof. Dan Peer greeted Metsola before a question-answer session with students. They underscored the significance of her visit considering the University’s centrality in EU-Israel relations. Recognized as one of the most successful institutions under the EU’s Horizon programs for research and innovation, TAU researchers have been awarded 183 grants and nearly 180 million euro in funding from the initiative.

The University also boasts a deep network of 236 partnerships in Europe. In addition, hundreds of students from Europe study at TAU International at any given time while the University is expanding its presence on the continent with programs such as its first slated extension overseas at a TAU campus in Florence, Italy.

During the animated discussion with students, Metsola touched on a range of topics including academic freedom, rising antisemitism around world and Europe, climate change, regional geopolitics, immigration, and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“My position is the position of the European Parliament—we uphold that peace remains the objective,” she said in response to a question about the Middle East conflict. “Our message is one of peace and against violence.”

The Best Weapon to Fight Prejudice

Addressing a student question about measures to combat antisemitism, Metsola acknowledged that the European Parliament has noted increasing antisemitic attacks and conveyed that it is committed to combating the growing phenomenon. She underlined that science and research cooperation is a pillar of EU-Israel relations, while education remains the best weapon to fight prejudice.

Porat thanked Metsola for coming to the University, noting it was symbolic considering the shared values between the EU and TAU, including academic freedom, plurality, and diversity.

Israeli MK Prof. Yossi Shain, head of the Knesset delegation for relations with the European Parliament, initiated the visit and moderated the event. He is the former head of the School of Political Science, Government and International Affairs at TAU’s Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences.

A Word for Future Leaders

Metsola told the gathering at TAU that both her time in academia and professional training as a lawyer highly influenced her decision to enter politics. She first ran for office at age 24.

“University was the hotbed of the big discussions of our time,” she recalled. In a note of advice to future leaders and those seeking to bridge gender gaps in higher education and the professional world, she added: “Never believe anyone who tells you something is impossible.”

After the event, Metsola took to Twitter saying it’s “Always good to listen and discuss the future with young people – where there is dialogue there is hope.”

Featured image: From front left: TAU Vice President of R&D Prof. Dan Peer, EP President Roberta Metsola, TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, Knesset member Prof. Yossi Shain, and students at TAU. (Photo: Ofer Amram)

TAU Student Film “Kinship” to Compete at Cannes

Written by AUFTAU on 23 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

BOG 2022: TAU Inaugurates Pouran and Parviz Izak Nazarian Building

Written by AUFTAU on 23 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

Tel Aviv University inaugurated the Pouran and Parviz Izak Nazarian Building on May 15 in honor of the distinguished TAU benefactors and long-time friends, as part of the 2022 Board of Governors meeting. The building provides world-class facilities for visitors to the University. It also houses the Citizen’s Empowerment Center in Israel (CECI), which Parviz Izak initiated, and TAU Online – Innovative Learning Center.

“Today, we’re not just celebrating the inauguration of a building, but a dream come true—a hub, a center for new ideas, for creative plans and important strategies to forge new paths for the future of our country,” said Dora Nazarian, in recognition of her parents. “I know my father is looking down on us with satisfaction at this beautiful building.”

The Los Angeles-based Nazarian family and TAU share a decades-long friendship. Parviz Izak, who passed away in 2017, was an Iranian-born American businessman, investor and philanthropist. His wife, Pouran, has held leadership roles at several organizations that advocate for education, Jewish causes and women’s rights in Iran and the US. The couple, both TAU Honorary Doctors, have a dedicated record of supporting Israel and higher education. Parviz Izak was a TAU Governor, and Pouran and Dora are both current TAU Governors. The Nazarian family’s contributions to TAU over the years include an endowment for the Parviz and Pouran Nazarian Chair for Modern Iranian Studies at the Entin Faculty of Humanities.

“In an expression of their deep love for Israel, Pouran and her family are synonymous with supporting the rights of Israel’s citizens and preserving democracy and academic excellence,” said TAU Vice President Amos Elad. “What better way to support and recognize the importance of all these elements than to unite them under one roof!”

In 2003, Parviz Izak founded the Citizen’s Empowerment Center in Israel, an NGO which aims to improve the performance of the country’s government and public sector by providing tools to make government operations more accessible to the public. It also produces academic studies, surveys and events, with the goal of boosting civic awareness and oversight of public systems. Dora Nazarian is president of the organization.

The inauguration ceremony at TAU took place in the presence of Pouran Nazarian, her children, Dora, Dalia, Daphna, and Benjamin, and grandchildren Eliott, Ethan, Ryan, and Alexa.

During the festivities, the family unveiled the plaque with the building’s name and a bust of Parviz Izak. They also held a mezuzah-hanging ceremony. Nearly 200 people attended the event, including TAU leadership and former prime minister Ehud Olmert, TAU Prof. Ronni Gamzu, head of Ichilov Hospital, and several former ministers.

Prof. Gamzu, a Board Member of the Citizen’s Empowerment Center in Israel and TAU alumnus, said: “I only knew Parviz during his last years. But I understood the power of his and Pouran’s vision…which the Center is fulfilling to strengthen governance to make Israel a better place.” He added, “The legacy of Parviz, and your legacy Pouran, will prevail and continue to change the way we live in Israel.”

Former minister Moshe Kahlon, who has held the communications, welfare & social services and finance portfolios, also spoke at the event: “I thank the Nazarian family for their great contributions to the State of Israel domestically and abroad.” He added that “Izak didn’t hesitate to use his connections to strengthen Israel,” noting the late industrialist’s support for matters ranging from Israeli industry to aliyah services. “He touched on every important aspect in Israel.”

Featured image: The Nazarian family at the inauguration of the Pouran and Parviz Izak Nazarian Building. (Photo: Chen Galili)

BOG 2022: Arbib Entrance Plaza Named

Written by AUFTAU on 20 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

In a festive ceremony held during Tel Aviv University’s 2022 Board of Governors meeting, the Arbib Family Entrance Plaza was dedicated at the Millie Phillips Student City complex by benefactor Stephen Arbib, Vice Chair of the Canadian Friends of TAU – Ontario & Western Canada, and his family. Also attending were TAU’s Vice President, International, Prof. Milette Shamir; members of the Canadian Friends; TAU Governors; students and guests.

The Arbib Plaza lies at the entrance to Student City, a 35,000 square meter student housing and commercial center with 11 dormitory buildings. Student City enables TAU to provide housing for thousands, in particular international students, undergraduates from Israel’s social and geographic periphery, and visiting scientists.

“It is through generous donations such as the one we are celebrating today, with the dedication of this plaza, that our university can continue to nurture amazing students as well as support promising research projects,” said Shamir. She stressed that “Tel Aviv University’s most important asset, and perhaps its most significant source of strength, is its amazing student body.

“Thank you, Stephen, for being a loyal friend of the University. Your contribution makes an impact where it matters the most to us,” Shamir said.

Featured image: From left: Stephen Arbib, Prof. Milette Shamir, TAU’s VP International, Stephen Adler – Chief Executive Officer, Tel Aviv University Canada (Ontario & Western Canada)

Big Brains Helped Large Animals Survive Extinction

Written by AUFTAU on 19 May 2022. Posted in Newsroom.

What do an elephant, a rhino and a hippopotamus all have in common? All three, along with other large animals, survived the mass extinction that took place for a period of about 120,000 years, starting from the time the last Ice Age began. In contrast, other huge animals, such as giant armadillos (weighing a ton), giant kangaroos and mammoths went extinct.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University and the University of Naples have examined the mass extinction of large animals over the past tens of thousands of years, and found that those species who survived extinction had, on average, much larger brains than those who did not. The researchers conclude that having a large brain (relative to body size) indicates relatively high intelligence and helped the surviving species adapt to changing conditions and cope with potential causes of extinction, such as human hunting.

The study was led by doctoral student Jacob Dembitzer of the University of Naples in Italy, Prof. Shai Meiri of Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, and Prof. Pasquale Raia and doctoral student Silvia Castiglione of the University of Naples. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Heavy Weight – No Guarantee

The researchers explain that the last Ice Age was characterized by the widespread extinction of large and giant animals on all continents on earth (except Antarctica). Among these:

America: Giant ground sloths weighing 4 tons, a giant armadillo weighing a ton, and mastodons
Australia: Marsupial diprotodon weighing a ton, giant kangaroos, and a marsupial ‘lion’
Eurasia: Giant deer, woolly rhinoceros, mammoth, and giant elephants weighing up to 11 tons

Other large animals, however, such as elephants, rhinos, and hippos, survived this extinction event and exist to this day.

The researchers also note that in some places, the extinction was particularly widespread:

Australia: The red and grey kangaroos are today the largest native animals
South America: The largest survivors are the guanaco and vicuña (similar to the llama, which is a domesticated animal) and the tapir, while many of the species weighing half a ton or more have become extinct

Brains over Body

Jacob Dembitzer: “We know that most of the extinctions were of large animals, and yet it is not clear what distinguishes the large extant species from those that went extinct. We hypothesized that behavioral flexibility, made possible by a large brain in relation to body size, gave the surviving species an evolutionary advantage – it has allowed them to adapt to the changes that have taken place over the last tens of thousands of years, including climate change and the appearance of humans. Previous studies have shown that many species, especially large species, went extinct due to over-hunting by humans that have entered their habitats. In this study, we tested our hypothesis for mammals over a period of about 120,000 years, from the time the last Ice Age began, and the time that modern man began to spread all over the world with lethal weapons, to 500 years before our time. This hypothesis even helps us explain the large number of extinctions in South America and Australia, since the large mammals living on these continents had relatively small brains.”

The researchers collected data from the paleontological literature on 50 extinct species of mammal from all continents, weighing from 11 kg (an extinct giant echidna) up to 11 tons (the straight-tusked elephant, which was also found in the Land of Israel), and compared the size of their cranial cavity to that of 291 evolutionarily close mammal species that survived and exist today, weighing from 1.4 kg (the platypus) up to 4 tons (the African elephant). They fed the data into statistical models that included the weighting of body size and phylogeny between different species.

Prof. Meiri: “We found that the surviving animals had brains 53% larger, on average than evolutionarily closely related, extinct species of a similar body size. We hypothesize that mammals with larger brains have been able to adapt their behavior and cope better with the changing conditions – mainly human hunting and possibly climate changes that occurred during that period – compared to mammals with relatively small brains.”

Author: AUFTAU

“A True Chance to Follow My Dream”