From the Editor's Desk

Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth—never before seen in reptiles - National Geographic (No paywall)

Gnawing mammals such beavers, rats, and shrews sport the metal in their teeth, which toughens their bite. But scientists have long believed reptile teeth didn’t have special adaptations to keep their weaponry sharp. Unlike mammals, reptiles shed and grow new teeth throughout their lives, and so can dispose of any teeth that have been worn down. Komodos also have a venomous bite, which stuns their prey before they tear it apart with sharp teeth and claws. (Learn why komodo dragons stick close to home.)

“I probably saw it three or four times, and completely dismissed it, thinking that this was staining from feeding,” he says; the reptiles take up iron from their meat-rich diets. As he saw more, he began to enlist the help from other scientists and museum curators to inspect dragon skulls. The pattern, it turns out, was consistent across the specimens. (Learn where you can see komodo dragons in the wild.)

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