"Sleepless and Sex-Obsessed: The Short Lives of Tiny Male Marsupials"

Male antechinuses sacrifice sleep to mate with as many females as possible during an intense breeding period, then die in a single "programmed" event. Research suggests they may die from a surge in hormone levels, making them more susceptible to infections and parasites. Female antechinuses survive longer and may benefit from the males' deaths as a food source. Cannibalism has been observed in these marsupials, but much remains to be learned about their behavior and resilience to extreme sleep deprivation.