Pandas famously love bamboo but the fluffy mammals’ actually have digestive systems typical of animals that eat a meat-based diet - and Chinese scientists now think they know why.

Despite their carnivorous digestive systems, giant pandas thrive on bamboo, and now scientists may have uncovered a key reason why. Researchers found that microRNAs from bamboo enter pandas’ bodies through digestion and help regulate gene expression,

Tiny scraps of genetic material from bamboo might influence the genes of pandas, helping them adapt to a mostly bamboo diet.

Scientists discovered that bamboo's miRNA enters giant pandas' blood, influencing their feeding habits and taste perception.

Even though they're in the animal kingdom's order of Carnivora – carnivorous species – Giant pandas spend up to 16 hours a day on their backsides eating bamboo. But contrary to the many jokes about the intelligence of these black and white bears,

Giant pandas have digestive systems that are typical for carnivores. Yet, bamboo is their main source of food. They have evolved several features; for example, pseudo thumbs to grasp bamboo and flat teeth that are well suited for crushing it,

Giant pandas don't eat meat because chemicals in the bamboo they chomp on changing their tastes, suggests new research. Despite having digestive systems typical of carnivores, the diet of the iconic species consists almost entirely of the leaves, stems and shoots of various types of bamboo.

Learn more about how miRNA may have regulated the gene expression in pandas, helping them adapt to eating more plants.