Researchers identify a giant ancient rodent from fossils found in southern Thailand, with dating placing it roughly 33–35 million years ago. The evidence comes from fossil material recovered from a coal mine, including what is described as a large tooth. The animal is estimated to have weighed about 66 pounds, making it unusually large for rodents known from that era.
The outlets describe the discovery with slightly different framing and time references. VICE emphasizes that the species was identified only after researchers worked through the fossil remains and highlights the “giant 66-pound” aspect in its lead, tying the find to a coal mine tooth discovered in 2004. ScienceDaily focuses on the formal scientific identification—naming it Yakamys sirindhornae—and says the results suggest enormous rodents evolved earlier than previously understood. Both reports credit Scientific Reports for the published findings and rely on the fossil teeth as the key evidence.
