TIL that I have more in common with rats than with many humans

[debgeisler]

Ars Technica reported in November of last year about a study that showed that rats which were taught to drive tiny little cars liked doing it so much that they would continue to drive the cars even if they weren't given treats.

Clearly, the rats and I think being able to drive cars *is* the treat. I love so much about this study.

If you're going to teach rats to drive, first you need to build them a car (or Rat Operated Vehicle). The chassis and powertrain came from a robot car kit, and a transparent plastic food container provided the body. Explaining the idea of a steering wheel and pedals to rats was probably too difficult, so the controls were three copper wires stretched across an opening cut out of the front of the bodywork and an aluminum plate on the floor. When a rat stood on the plate and gripped a copper bar, a circuit was completed and the motors engaged; one bar made the car turn to the left, one made it turn to the right, and the third made it go straight ahead.

Already, the rats are better drivers than many humans.

Go rats, go! We need a Rat Ferrari.



(Via Reddit.)