KilteerNov 13, 2024
Corey S Powell

Taking a break from awful things:

Scientists taught rats to drive cars. The rats quickly learned to rev the engine and take longer routes just for fun.

Bonus: Watch the researcher do a little happy leap when the rat gets into the car.

https://theconversation.com/im-a-neuroscientist-who-taught-rats-to-drive-their-joy-suggests-how-anticipating-fun-can-enrich-human-life-239029 #science #tech

I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive βˆ’ their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life

Equipped with a rodent version of a Cybertruck, these driving rats reveal that positive experiences may sculpt the brain just as powerfully as stressful ones

The Conversation
Nov 12, 2024 at 10:52pmWeb
Show threadjailandradeNov 12, 2024
@coreyspowell A rat learnt to drive before I did :(
Show threadLocksmithNov 13, 2024

@jailandrade @coreyspowell

A rat has superior cognitive and reasoning powers than those who vot... ahh what the hell, you know where I am going with this.

Show threadsortiusNov 13, 2024
@jailandrade @coreyspowell I'm 44, never driven, all good dude
Show threadjailandradeNov 13, 2024
@sortius πŸ€— I know but it would be helpful to learn sometime
Show threadsortiusNov 13, 2024

@jailandrade I used to think that, but a decent cargo bike or public transport, and most stuff is easy enough.

I don't want to proselytise, but to me, driving is expensive and time consuming πŸ˜†

Show threadAlan Miller  πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell coming soon: rat go-kart tracks
Show threadtlarivNov 13, 2024
@fencepost
The literal rat race
@coreyspowell
Show threadautumn 🐾 hyper-fixated on dogsNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell the happy leap! πŸ₯Ί
Show threadJoe PasquaNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell Great! Now I have to worry about AGI and super-intelligent rodents. ;-)
Show threadCorey S PowellNov 13, 2024

@bitsplusatoms

Future wars will be waged by rats vs AIs. We'll just be on the sidelines.

Show threadTrojan DuckNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell
Show threadAutistiCriticNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell @DelilahTech As if we need something else to worry about! πŸ€”
Show threadFull Metal ArchaeopteryxNov 13, 2024
@benjamincox
Funny thing is, they're still better drivers than the Tesla autopilot...
@coreyspowell
Show threadAutistiCriticNov 13, 2024
@DelilahTech @coreyspowell In a Tesla, the rats can’t see where they’re going.
Show threadFluffgar 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 HAS MOVEDNov 13, 2024
@DelilahTech I mean, aye. I'd probably trust a rat chauffeur over a computer one. Has a sense of self-preservation for one thing.
#RatChauffeur
Show threadsortiusNov 13, 2024
@fluffgar @DelilahTech rat chauffeur with a pigeon navigator would be an unstoppable taxi service
Show threadMark Shane HaydenNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell pah! These are amateur Rat Researchers everyone knows @mwl is the foremost fedi expert on Motorised Rat Conveyance.
Show threadMichael W Lucas Nov 13, 2024

@msh @coreyspowell

Hey now, other people can also love rat cars!

Show threadMark Shane HaydenNov 14, 2024
@mwl @coreyspowell rat cars *are* hekkin' delightful aren't they?
Show threadjonathankorenβ„’Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell I love how the scientist does a little happy dance when the rat starts to drive
Show threadGenkNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell LOOK AT HIM GOOOO
Show threadKit Rhett AultmanNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell They say do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. Clearly this person is the proof.
Show threadValoisa SivuttaisMicroFlutterNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell The rat taught the researcher to enjoy life 😁
Show threadArthur van der HargNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell I wonder what would happen if their environment degraded if they chose to drive instead of walking. Take away a toy. Turn down the temperature. Remove nesting material. Give less food. Would they choose to walk? Would rats try to keep others from driving? Are rats smarter than humans?
Show threadTrabusterNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell soooo disturbingly beautifulπŸ˜ƒ
Show threadOliver SchafeldNov 13, 2024

Ratatouille meets Cars

RataVrooom! 😁

https://www.pixar.com/ratatouille

https://www.pixar.com/cars

Ratatouille β€” Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar Animation Studios
Show threadRock'n'Roll_Ο†apy πŸ”»Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell
Fantastique bond de la science et de la connaissance...
Show threadGroßStadtPflanze Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell Das haben wir Menschen den Ratten voraus: Die SchwΓ€nze (Umgangssprachlich fΓΌr Penis) von Autofahrern sind viel zu kurz, als dass die Gefahr bestΓΌnde, dass die da gegenseitig drΓΌberfahren …
Show threadAntonNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell private testing did work out as well: https://youtu.be/mYHMc3-f3v8
Rats Learn To Drive Tiny Cars | The Dodo

YouTube
Show threadChris BohnNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell To the Ratmobile, Bobin!
Show threadCorey S PowellNov 13, 2024
@DocBohn Ha!
Show threadCatherine is not complacentNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell next gen Uber drivers?
Show threadSimon FlettNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell At last. The explanation for the unholy racket along the Great Yarmouth sea front promenade in the wee small hours of a weekend.
Show threadParade du Grotesque πŸ’€Nov 13, 2024

@coreyspowell

This one is for you @mwl !! ☝️

(Been there, done that, etc)

Show threadSchwaig BubNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell This is the beginning of the decline of #waymo
Show threadMartin EdwardsNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell Aww, the tail dragging along! The pet rats I had were not fussy about their tails being handled – or my occasional, futile attempts to make them a bit cleaner – though they did use them for balance and grip, and occasionally shook them with excitement or contentment, I think.
Show threadsenna.apkNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell this rat is probably better than most Philly drivers
Show threadMedea VanamondeπŸ³οΈβ€βš§οΈ ♀Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell competitor Species.
They take our place in the novel A Billion Days Of Earth.
Show threadSlyphicNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell Are we not going to talk about the "#SpiderPride" sticker?
Show threadLocalNov 13, 2024
@Slyphic @coreyspowell πŸ˜‚
Show threadJust Another AmyNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell you might enjoy the emperorsofmischief account (on the big video hosting platforms) β€” 2 rescue rats and the cars their human’s dad built for them.
Show threadAaron Sawdey, Ph.D.Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell @fredy I think somebody needs to build those rats a bus, right?
Show threadfredy cosmoline Nov 13, 2024
@acsawdey reminds me of a book i read as a child
Show threadSteven SandovalNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell One step closer for humans to realize animals are people too.
Show threadStephen Battista (he/him)Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell It took only an additional 10 minutes before scientists saw indications of texting and driving.
Show threadEve, Go Listen to Dead Channel SkyNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell Ideally they'd have got the rats to take public transit or live in a scurryable neighbourhood
Show threadphi1997Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell
The only problem I have with this is that the article comparing the ROVs to a Cybertruck like it's a good thing. Otherwise, this is a very important article everyone must read
Show threadSteve HoldenNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell who’d be a rat, yet we all are?!
Show threadCarnildoNov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell This is how proper mad science gets started.
Show threadSteve HerseyNov 13, 2024

@coreyspowell
Fun to watch.

That's a pretty spiffed up ride they built for the rats. Those are Mecanum wheels, and with the right kind of motor control, the vehicle can drive in any direction - even sideways - without turning. It would be fascinating to see what the rats would do with that capability.

Show thread[email protected]Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell I seem to vaguely remember that the mice (most intelligent species) in Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy had some tiny vehicles, didnβ€˜t they?
Show threadAthena L.M.Nov 13, 2024
@coreyspowell cc @mwl although I have confidence he's seen it
Show threadVirginia S. O'PossumNov 14, 2024
@coreyspowell I need to use this phrase somewhere: "in a test designed to measure rodent optimism."
Show threadPeter Kisner β‰ˆNov 14, 2024

@coreyspowell
Louie came up with the perfect music for this situation:

Rat Taxi
Rat Taxi
I got cheese on a trap lookin at me.

https://youtu.be/FTEoGK1omug?si=at4WKS8suypSodIP

#LouieZong

CHEEZY STREET (feat. Dante NK)

YouTube
Show threadusrNov 14, 2024
@coreyspowell Interesting. Probably the best news in 2024 ))
Show threadShane EngelmanNov 14, 2024
@coreyspowell They should teach them to ride public transit before it's too late.
Show threadCorey S PowellNov 14, 2024

@singlerider

At least it appears to be an EV.

Show threadMemphisDaPlaya 🎲🎲Nov 14, 2024

@coreyspowell

They will take shorter routes when they learn the cost of gas. πŸ€πŸπŸ­

Show threadMartin HamiltonNov 15, 2024
@coreyspowell No more cocaine for ratty