Science

BootinUp

(49,020 posts) Wed Dec 13, 2023, 03:21 PM Dec 2023

Rats are more human than you think

Excerpt from the article

These animals can share the emotional state of others, which in psychology is called emotional contagion. Research has shown that when a rat sees another rat in distress, the neural structures activated in that rat’s brain closely resembles those activated in humans brains when feeling empathy for pain of others.

One experiment showed that rats will release a fellow rat from an unpleasant cage even if they are not rewarded for it. And if given chocolate treats afterwards, the free rat would usually save at least one treat for the former captive.

This selfless behaviour comes from rats’ socially complex lives in family groups of multiple generations. They form lifelong bonds with other rats and share socially learned skills, such as foraging techniques, across generations. This means rats have a form of culture.

A study from 2023 even showed that rats can imagine places and things that aren’t in front of them at the time. In experiments rats were shown to navigate a space in their thoughts, that they have previously explored. As in the studies of empathy, researchers demonstrated this by comparing the regions in the rat’s brains that were activated to those that are activated when humans think about navigating their way through places they have visited.

10 replies

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Rats are more human than you think (Original Post) BootinUp Dec 2023 OP

We know so little about Earths animals. flying_wahini Dec 2023 #1

Smart and lovably............................. Lovie777 Dec 2023 #2

They are massively destructive, anything that they can not chew to destruction they defecate or urinate on. Chainfire Dec 2023 #3

I kind of admire their ability to thrive. CrispyQ Dec 2023 #5

Don't get me wrong, I admire their destructive abilities. The rats move stuff around all over my shop. Chainfire Dec 2023 #8

That makes sense Turbineguy Dec 2023 #4

I think the term is sentient. WhiteTara Dec 2023 #6

When my Dad passed away he day after we were at the family home in the living room and a mouse ran across the room in kimbutgar Dec 2023 #7

We have some resident rats BWdem4life Dec 2023 #9

I used to have a pet rat, got me a good mark in my psych class since he was very smart - and I brought him home Rhiannon12866 Dec 2023 #10

flying_wahini

(8,007 posts)

1. We know so little about Earths animals.

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 03:25 PM

Dec 2023

Maybe after humans destroy each other the rats will get to live without fear of us.

Lovie777

(15,002 posts)

2. Smart and lovably.............................

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 03:27 PM

Dec 2023

Rats, mice are one of my favorite animals, but alas tons of people, including my immediate family are afraid of them and find them dirty and disgusting.

Chainfire

(17,757 posts)

3. They are massively destructive, anything that they can not chew to destruction they defecate or urinate on.

Reply to Lovie777 (Reply #2)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 03:53 PM

Dec 2023

I am in a constant state of war with them in my outbuildings.

CrispyQ

(38,244 posts)

5. I kind of admire their ability to thrive.

Reply to Chainfire (Reply #3)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 04:13 PM

Dec 2023

Maybe Earth is just one big experiment by some aliens to find the species that will thrive best & on Earth the final battle will be rats vs cockroaches.

Chainfire

(17,757 posts)

8. Don't get me wrong, I admire their destructive abilities. The rats move stuff around all over my shop.

Reply to CrispyQ (Reply #5)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 04:43 PM

Dec 2023

About every two years, I will find massive nests and have to go through them with magnets to retrieve my tools. It is a disgusting job. The problem got much worse after my last feral cat died... I park my cars outside, and the rats will nest under the hood if the car doesn't move for a few days. These aren't cute little mice, but critters the size of a squirrel.

Turbineguy

(38,376 posts)

4. That makes sense

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 04:10 PM

Dec 2023

Some people are a lot like rats.

WhiteTara

(30,158 posts)

6. I think the term is sentient.

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 04:16 PM

Dec 2023

kimbutgar

(23,271 posts)

7. When my Dad passed away he day after we were at the family home in the living room and a mouse ran across the room in

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 04:29 PM

Dec 2023

Front of my sister and I who were crying, the mouse stopped and just looked at us and then trotted away. My parents home was two doors away from a grocery stores and we always encountered rats and mice growing up. My parents hired a constructor to Sheetrock the garage to prevent the rodents from coming in and for several years seeing rodents was very rare. But that day this little mouse decided to visit us! It’s like the rodent sensed our sadness that day!

BWdem4life

(2,463 posts)

9. We have some resident rats

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Wed Dec 13, 2023, 11:36 PM

Dec 2023

Neighbor suggested killing them, we weren't interested. Live and let live, as long as they stay outside.

Rhiannon12866

(222,109 posts)

10. I used to have a pet rat, got me a good mark in my psych class since he was very smart - and I brought him home