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Page last updated at 06:57 GMT, Wednesday, 31 March 2010 07:57 UK

Toads 'detect earthquakes'

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Natural disasters could be predicted by studying the breeding habits of the common toad, new research has found.

Five days before an earthquake hit L'Aquila in Italy, 2009, 96% of male toads abandoned a breeding site 46 miles from the quake's epicentre.

Rachel Grant, researcher from the Open University who made the observations, explains the findings.

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