This reminded me of the orangutan driving a golf cart: <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJsn1QivbKM" rel="nofollow">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJsn1QivbKM</a><p>He has mastered it. He clearly understands the concept of roads vs sidewalks. He can drive using one hand. And most importantly, he obviously has a great time doing that.
"One day, a student noticed something strange: One of the rats in the group trained to expect positive experiences had its tail straight up with a crook at the end, resembling the handle of an old-fashioned umbrella."<p>For anyone having, being friends with, are interested in cats will recognize this behavior. If you meet a cat on the street and it raises its tail like this, it will also probably come up to you. A cat that sweeps the tail back and fort, often with the end of it a bit jerky is probably afraid, angry, hesitant and does not want to engage. It should be left alone unless you want to feel the sharp end of those retractable razor blades.<p>Cats also use the same patterns between each other. And interestingly some dogs use the same patterns too. Tiger puppies seem to do this also (as seen in documentaries). So, at least to me, there seems to be common 'language' to express feelings and interests between some animals equipped with tails.<p>I would have thought this should have been a known thing, possibly even for the driving rat scientists. Anybody on HN that have some references into known ´tail language´?
Full video:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08G8u7sk2Jo" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08G8u7sk2Jo</a><p>A different one, in a home environment:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYHMc3-f3v8" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYHMc3-f3v8</a>
Maybe it is hard coded in sentient beings to enjoy moving at speed with very little energy expenditure. To quote C.S. Lewis in the The Last Battle-<p>“If one could run without getting tired, I don’t think one would often want to do
anytrung else?”<p>As a runner, I agree. :)
I'm reminded of the YouTube vids in which someone places a small toy finger skateboard underneath a turtle. The turtle quickly learned to propel itself with its legs and, having acquired a taste for speed, uses its newfound ability to harass the cats. Cowabunga!<p><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UIe8Y0k-QDw" rel="nofollow">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UIe8Y0k-QDw</a>
Dozens of videos from TikTok of rats driving cars very similar to the ones in the article: (not a joke link)<p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@emperorsofmischief" rel="nofollow">https://www.tiktok.com/@emperorsofmischief</a>
Really enjoyed this article. Longevity and health increasingly seems to be intrinsically tied to planning for better things, hoping for better things and enjoying the process.
reminds me of this classic<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Motorcycle-Ralph-Book-ebook/dp/B00188V7TQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TAQOLZDDGPP7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Bnl1KNcfqsjZajAwFBjU1vdv-5YKkpaZRLp7EaJaT4xWkO-v3ATxlRm1hbaGosyy7NF9g3ffxsexxvYM_avbLfWtfVYFYk565GE6L5R65wHlnu_W0hABA-WNDVG6D_qG6gAo-_jmzAGTv8-WG4jKrRiSquanDdB0etKo0-Je35IWUMQ1EyXS0DE3LeRxkHecNk9Dhi9Qaaqrnd469ik_galBEMHmKLEIdq7YIl2OmPU.jgT59R09ER33KOCgPc6qtUQLI666GozYqepeQ9XzTY0&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+mouse+and+the+motorcycle&qid=1731996117&sprefix=the+mouse+and+the%2Caps%2C407&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Motorcycle-Ralph-Book-ebook/dp/...</a>
Fish can drive cars too.<p><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/goldfish-driving-1.6309485" rel="nofollow">https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/goldfish-driving-1.6309485</a><p>>>> Surprisingly, it doesn't take the fish a long time to learn how to drive the vehicle. They're confused at first. They don't know what's going on. But they're very quick to realize that there is a correlation between their movement and the movement of the machine that they're in.
> Unexpectedly, we found that the rats had an intense motivation for their driving training, often jumping into the car and revving the "lever engine" before their vehicle hit the road. Why was that?<p>That is absolutely adorable and wonderful!
I saw a news story about rats being trained in Tanzania to search for people under rubble. These animals have sharp hearing and an excellent sense of smell. I just don’t remember the exact breed of these rats. I really like these animals!
If you're into rats doing cool things for food and fun: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV9z0c1hjnA" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV9z0c1hjnA</a>
Wait til they make a rat bicycle, that'll break the Internet.<p>Seriously though, I wonder if they drive to please the researchers (to any degree).
Man those rats really hit the jackpot. They're over here cruisin while their buddies a few rooms over are probably getting vivisected or something.
Rats learning to drive is cool and all, but the real takeaway is how anticipation of fun can rewire our brains. Behavioral "pharmaceuticals" are a wild concept.
Just now scientists are finding out driving is fun, when we're just about ready to ban it!<p>Mind you, I don't think the rats would enjoy it as much if they had to share the road with the kind of rats I share it with, and if the penalty for crashing (or being crashed into) was as high.