A new study involving ASU researchers examined the presence and absence of mammal species over 6 million years to reveal that at various times, endemic animals — those that were found in only one region — disappeared from the fossil record, a long trend that likely resulted from some mammals being able to travel to new regions as immigrants rather than evolving there.

Eight students who will have traveled nearly 4,000 miles from their native Peru will be arriving at ASU this fall as part of the Beca Cometa scholarship program.