This short video about the Arctic ground squirrel features music from Christel Veraart’s latest album Arctic Aquarelles. 

The Arctic ground squirrel has developed highly specialized adaptations to extreme environments, and it has a lot to teach us about circadian rhythms and biological clocks. This species maintains circadian rhythms throughout the Arctic summer, despite the almost ceaseless daylight during this period. The squirrels’ body clocks have evolved to work just fine without the help of the day/night cycle, which is so important to other animals–like humans.

The goal of Frontier Scientists is to excite the general public about ongoing science in Alaska and the Arctic through informative vodcasts. In ‘Arctic Ground Squirrel: And The Circadian Clock’, they showcase the ability of this species to adapt to constant daylight which may ultimately help answer questions about human sleep disorders and other health problems.