So how did a species of leaf-eared mouse make this barren land their home? The mice, called Phyllotis vaccarum, are commonly found living in the Andes mountains at lower elevations, all the way down to sea level. In 2020, a living mouse was recorded at the summit of Llullaillaco, a volcano with an elevation of 6,739 meters (about 22,110 feet) on the border of Chile. The discovery of the living mouse spurred Storz to conduct expeditions at 21 different volcanoes. Freeze-dried mouse mummiesWhile the conditions are not ideal for living creatures, they create perfect conditions for preservation, as the mice are essentially freeze dried, Storz said.

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Persons: Jay Storz, Jay Storz “, we’ve, ”, Storz, “, “ It’s, it’s, ” Storz, Emmanuel Fabián Ruperto, Ruperto Organizations: CNN, University of Nebraska, Geographic, NASA, Argentine Institute for Dryland Research Locations: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, United States, Atacama, Llullaillaco, Lincoln, Mendoza