Dr Jenny Gordonis a well-thought-of Australian economic expert . Professor Brian Schmidtis frailty chancellor of the Australian National University . Together this force duad break away a wine maker outside Canberra . While doing this , Schmidt found sentence to collect aNobel Prizefor attest that the pace of the Universe ’s enlargement isaccelerating , shew the motive for dark vitality to explain the phenomenon and overturning the natural law of aperient . The local kangaroos , however , appear to have no regard for scientific achievement and have eaten most of their grapes .
Normally , sess forms kangaroos ' primary food source , but a dry winter and give left local roos with nothing to run through last October , so some moved in on the one star sign of green in their surface area – the fresh buds and fruit of the irrigated Maipenrai Vineyard where Gordon and Schmidt have their winery . At the late harvest , the couple collected just 50 kg ( 110 pounds ) where they would usually expect a hundred times that .
lose one twelvemonth ’s crop is spoilt enough – the couple estimate the hungry macropods squander $ 80,000 worth of grapes – but Schmidt told theABC : " Now that they have figured it out , it would not storm me if it bechance in the future . "
Other winegrowers in the region are also report kangaroos that have grow a sudden philia for grapes .
You might expect Schmidt and Gordon to be hopping mad about this , but they ’re actually rather understanding , with Gordonsayingthe native mintage “ are an of import part of the ecosystem . ” The yoke are planning to put in $ 15,000 - 20,000 Charles Frederick Worth of extra fencing rather than get the pestering beasts shot .
Being lead experts on the causes of impoverishment and the universe ’s organic evolution may not be much aid in this site , but perhaps Gordon and Schmidt have made a find in a much - understudied area . Marsupial nutrition is a bailiwick so obscure that until recently zookeepers have often had to devolve backon guessworkwhen deciding what they should be feed their antipodal charges .
Perhaps some bright - eyed PhD student at Schmidt ’s university can make a name for themselves flummox kangaroos to smack - examination wine grapes to determine what they like well . Schmidt and Gordon grow pinot noir ( celebrated in Schmidt ’s Twitter grip @Cosmicpinot ) , but Schmidt told IFLScience : “ As far as I know , kangaroo generally do not eat grape shoots – but once they find out them , they are happy to eat , and I do n’t think they are very finical on variety . ”
Like winegrowers everywhere , Schmidt and Gordon have to fend off Bronx cheer ( which they do with netting ) , however Schmidt told IFLScience that none of the other Australian marsupials have so far shown an enthusiasm for their grape vine , nor for other parts of the vines .
