Rats are being examined at the University of Richmond in the US, and they can actually drive!
To be fair, the cars they are driving aren’t exactly Porsches. They are actually driving empty plastic crates as their ‘cars.’ However, for rats to learn how to operate a vehicle, no matter how little, is already a success.
These miniature cars are made by Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond. The automobiles’ flooring are composed of aluminium and are made of transparent plastic boxes. The rats can touch three copper bars that are located within the vehicle. The automobile moves whenever the rat contacts a bar and completes a circuit. The bar on the left moves the car to left. The bar on the right moves the car to the right.
Six female and four male rats were chosen by Lambert and her colleagues, who then trained them to operate these vehicles. Food was given as a reward to do this.
When the rats first contacted the copper bars, they were given food. However, the prize ceiling was quickly raised. The food was dispersed throughout the arena. The rats quickly acclimated to the new situation and started using the automobile to drive to the meal. They even came up with their own routes that weren’t explicitly given to them.
The experiment is expected to aid researchers in their efforts to better understand cognition.
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