Toronto's Subway Deer Mystery FINALLY Solved After Like, FOREVER 🦌🚇🤯
Ontario researchers solve mystery behind Toronto’s ‘subway deer’ after nearly 50 years. Okay, so boom, back in '76, a construction worker found a fossil by a subway station. Turns out it was a deer, but like, a super old, kinda weird deer. Scientists were trippin' trying to figure out what the heck
TL:DR
Okay, so boom, back in '76, a construction worker found a fossil by a subway station. Turns out it was a deer, but like, a super old, kinda weird deer. Scientists were trippin' trying to figure out what the heck it was, but they finally cracked the code using DNA. Get this: it's related to whitetail and mule deer, not caribou like they thought. It went extinct during the Ice Age. And now it will be on display at the Royal Ontario Museum on December 6th.
The Deets
Alright fam, listen up 'cause this is wild. Back in 1976, a construction worker was just vibin' near Toronto's Islington Station when they stumbled upon a whole fossil. Turns out, it was part of the cranium of a deer with some seriously wonky antlers. Like, asymmetrical and thick, which made the scientists go 🤔.
They named this creature *Torontoceros hypogaeus* – which is basically "horned Toronto deer from underground." At first, everyone thought it was like, a long-lost cousin of the caribou 'cause of those crazy antlers. But then, the real tea was spilled. Scientists did some ancient DNA analysis on a bone fragment from the antler, and BOOM! Turns out, this deer was actually closer to whitetail and mule deer. Mind. Blown.
So, what does this all mean? Well, they're thinking *Torontoceros* is either its own extinct species within the *Odocoileus* fam (that's medium-sized deer, btw) or an extinct lineage that branched off from mule deer. Either way, this deer was probably chilling during the Ice Age and then, poof, gone with the wind, like a bunch of other large mammals in North America. L for them.
If you wanna see this piece of history for yourself, the Toronto subway deer's fossil is gonna be flexed at the Royal Ontario Museum starting December 6th. Don't sleep on it!
Abbreviations Glossary
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| Okay, so boom | A phrase used to begin an explanation or story. |
| Trippin' | Confused or in disbelief. |
| 🤔 | Thinking face emoji. |
| The real tea was spilled | The truth was revealed. |
| Mind. Blown. | A feeling of being overwhelmed or amazed. |
| Fam | Friend(s). |
| Flexed | To show off. |
| Don't Sleep on it | Don't miss the opportunity |