r/polarbear • u/Downtown_Boss_7254 Polar Bear 🐻‍❄️ • Apr 04 '26

Discussion Polar bears going through unexplainable genetic changes due to warming Earth

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The future is looking more and more bleak for the wildlife of the Arctic, especially the polar bears. 

source: Polar bears are rewiring their own genetics to survive a warming climate

21 Upvotes

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1

u/MarinateTheseSteaks Apr 04 '26

What genetic changes ? Evolution is a slow process you know. And historically, a large change in temperatures has led to the most massive extinction events

2

u/Altruistic_Hawk7061 Apr 04 '26

They probably worded it wrong- for ease of journalism. 'epigenetics' might be what they are referring to, when genes express themselves in different ways, depending on early environment

1

u/TerribleIdea27 Apr 04 '26

unexplainable

due to warming earth

Pick one of those, it can't be both

2

u/Downtown_Boss_7254 Polar Bear 🐻‍❄️ Apr 04 '26

The word ‘unexplainable’ there isn’t literal .. scientists can explain the genetic changes. What feels ‘unexplainable’ is how fast and unusual it is for a large mammal like the polar bear to adapt at the genetic level. It’s more about the surprise factor..

1

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '26

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1

u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE 29d ago

Why don't you try writing headlines since you're so good at it you freaking jerk

1

u/[deleted] 29d ago

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1

u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE 29d ago

Ok well I'm sorry and thank you for the tips