MAMMAL MADNESS: The Gamecocks and Tar Heels just took home college basketball’s biggest trophies. But over in the fauna world, the short-faced bear bested the honey badger to win the 2017 March Mammal Madness. This isn’t a joke: the tournament, originally conceived by an Arizona State University biologist, is organized by university professors and researchers who decide the winners of head-on-head matchups based on traits like size, temperament and diet. Results and links to supporting research are tweeted, making them a popular resource for science teachers and students. NPR has more on the backstory behind these critter duels.
