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Scientists trained rats to drive tiny cars. It could have huge implications for our mental health.

  

Category:  Health, Science & Technology

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  5 years ago  •  30 comments

Scientists trained rats to drive tiny cars. It could have huge implications for our mental health.
Rats have learned how to jump through hoops, solve mazes, and even play hide and seek. Now they can drive cars. Researchers at the University of Richmond in Virginia taught rats to drive a tiny car made of a plastic food container as part of a study on mental health.

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Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.    5 years ago

I bred and kept rats as part of my science lab in my classroom and they always amazed me how smart and how much like people they were like. I know they get a bad rap, but to know them is to see a little bit of us, so the fact that rats like to drive is not a shocker. 

Might make you think twice about our little furry co-inhabitors. 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
1.1  Kavika   replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @1    5 years ago

I-Am-The-Rat-Rats-Meme.jpg

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
1.1.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Kavika @1.1    5 years ago

Excellent Dude. Now give yourself to our savior! 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @1    5 years ago

I knew a lady who raised them for show.  Yes, there are actually rat shows.  I loved playing with them while she cleaned the cages.  But the first time I saw her hairless ones, it was a little startling.  I picked one up and fell in love with how soft it was and felt like I was stoking velvet.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
1.2.1  sandy-2021492  replied to  Paula Bartholomew @1.2    5 years ago

I have a college friend who has pet rats, and she has become just a bit obsessed with them.

So has her cat jrSmiley_101_smiley_image.gif

But they are pretty cute, and they do seem to have their own personalities.  Not sure I'd want one, but I can see the appeal.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
1.2.2  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  sandy-2021492 @1.2.1    5 years ago

I loved my rat brothers, Might Max and Moe (no I didn't name them.. my students did). They were so loving! 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2.3  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  sandy-2021492 @1.2.1    5 years ago

I had a beautiful rat (Bennie) when I was a kid.  One day it peed on my mother and no more Bennie.jrSmiley_5_smiley_image.png

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
1.2.4  sandy-2021492  replied to  Paula Bartholomew @1.2.3    5 years ago

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2.5  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  sandy-2021492 @1.2.4    5 years ago

I told her not to take it personally.  Bennie peed on everyone lol.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
2  Buzz of the Orient    5 years ago

Next thing to expect could be that the scientists will make rats big enough to drive real cars......

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
2.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @2    5 years ago

I have to agree with you Buzz. It seemed at least they could have made an oval track. Looked so frustrating.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
2.1.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2.1    5 years ago

You know, of course, that I was unable to see the video...

 
 
 
arkpdx
Professor Quiet
2.2  arkpdx  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @2    5 years ago

I am not so sure. From looking at news reports they haven't really trained people how to drive cars yet.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
2.2.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  arkpdx @2.2    5 years ago

LOL

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
3  igknorantzrulz    5 years ago

rats   is not the word i'm looking for after somehow erasing and or losing something i actually invested some time and effort in

frustrating isn't the word either

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
3.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  igknorantzrulz @3    5 years ago

I can think of a couple, but that kind of language is discouraged here.

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
4  igknorantzrulz    5 years ago

write you are Buzz, cause i don't often invest that much time and effort to write in creative fashion, as i just blurt out what i thought i think, and computer squids out ink, like spots i blotter basically like Acid, like on why tripping on a trip i took for granite just because it was hard for me to ever duplicate that which i blurt, and that is the truth.

oh well

ratz the way it goes sometimes

 
 
 
TTGA
Professor Silent
5  TTGA    5 years ago
Researchers at the University of Richmond in Virginia taught rats to drive a tiny car made of a plastic food container as part of a study on mental health.

What the story didn't say, of course, is that the rat immediately souped up the car so that it could go 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

 
 
 
Sunshine
Professor Quiet
5.1  Sunshine  replied to  TTGA @5    5 years ago

haha..The Ratmobile

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
5.1.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Sunshine @5.1    5 years ago
The Ratmobile

hahahahhaha Another good one!

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
5.1.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Sunshine @5.1    5 years ago

Da da da da da!  Ratman!  (My apologies to the Batman theme song)

 
 
 
katrix
Sophomore Participates
5.2  katrix  replied to  TTGA @5    5 years ago

In the Wind in the Willows, wasn't it Toad who was the crazy driver? Not Rat?

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
5.2.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  katrix @5.2    5 years ago

Indeeedy Kairx! 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
5.3  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  TTGA @5    5 years ago

There have been reports of tiny cars driven by rats street racing.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
5.3.1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Paula Bartholomew @5.3    5 years ago

You know what Paula I thought I heard that a few nights ago, but it turned out to be hamsters 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
5.3.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @5.3.1    5 years ago

jrSmiley_10_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
5.4  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  TTGA @5    5 years ago

LMAO TTGA! Good One!

 
 
 
al Jizzerror
Masters Expert
6  al Jizzerror    5 years ago

Those Richmond rats are fast.

800

 
 

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