Marsupials (Marsupialia) are mammals characterised by a very short gestation period and the birth of highly underdeveloped young. These offspring independently crawl into the maternal pouch (marsupium), where they continue their development. Marsupials and placental mammals diverged from a common ancestor around 160 million years ago and have since formed two distinct, closely related evolutionary lineages. Today, most marsupial species are found in Australia and Tasmania, as well as Central and South America.
…that kangaroos use a highly efficient biological “spring” when hopping? Elastic tendons in their hind legs store energy upon every landing and release a large portion of it during the next bound, much like a coil spring. This allows kangaroos to hop remarkably efficiently even at high speeds, with their energy expenditure increasing only marginally as they move faster.
