Rats taught to drive tiny cars to lower their stress levels
Learning to drive small cars helps rats feel less stressed, scientists found.
Researchers at the University of Richmond in the US taught a group of 17 rats how to drive little plastic cars, in exchange for bits of cereal.
Study lead Dr Kelly Lambert said the rats felt more relaxed during the task, a finding that could help with the development of non-pharmaceutical treatments for mental illness.
The rats were not required to take a driving test at the end of the study.
Also at CNN, New Scientist, The Verge, and Boing Boing.
Enriched Environment Exposure Accelerates Rodent Driving Skills[$] (DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112309) (DX)
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Friday October 25 2019, @04:03AM (1 child)
likely to be no worse than most drivers out there
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 25 2019, @11:31AM
Wonder how bad Chinese rat drivers will be. Or worse yet, female Chinese rat drivers in BMWs.