Greater gliders not as great at gliding as thought – but still look like magic carpets, experts say

<p>While new study challenges assumptions about how far they travel, witnessing them in action still takes your breath away, scientists say</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jul/15/australia-news-live-ceo-pay-anthony-albanese-palestine-gaza-ai-artificial-intelligence-datacentres-copyright-royal-commission-antisemitism-labor-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>They may look like a fluffy flying carpet, but greater gliders are not as great at gliding as previously thought, Australian researchers have discovered.</p><p>The first study to measure the aerial ability of Australia’s largest gliding marsupial has found they soar across an average distance of 19 metres – far shorter than the 100 metres suggested in an 85-year-old study.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/16/greater-gliders-gliding-study">Continue reading...</a>