AssetID: 54313510
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Scientists Have Trained Rats To Drive Rodent Version Of Cybertruck
Caption: Scientists Have Trained Rats To Drive Rodent Version Of Cybertruck. Scientists at the University of Richmond have trained rats to drive tiny custom-made cars in exchange for sweet treats. The experiment began with a humble prototype - a rodent-sized vehicle crafted from a plastic cereal container. Through trial and error, the team discovered that rats could learn to grasp a wire acting as an accelerator, propelling them forward with surprising accuracy toward their reward: a coveted Froot Loop. As expected, rats raised in enriched environments, equipped with toys, space, and social companions, mastered the driving task more quickly than those in standard cages. Kelly Lambert and her team use the latest iterations of rat-operated vehicles (ROVs), designed in collaboration with robotics expert Professor John McManus. These upgraded cars, featuring rat-proof wiring, durable tyres, and ergonomic levers, resemble a rodent-scale version of Tesla's Cybertruck. “Rats generally prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic objects,” Lambert observed. “Now, we have them driving cars.” Further experiments revealed that some rats even preferred driving their cars to walking directly to a treat, implying they found the journey itself rewarding!
Keywords: Science & Technology,Scientists,rats,rodent,drive,version,Cybertruck,University of Richmond,sweet,treats,experiment,humble,prototype,rodent-size,vehicle,accelerator,space,social,companions,cages,Kelly Lambert,team,Professor John McManus,rat-proof,wiring
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