How Are Rats Different From Humans?
WouterDespite their appearance, rats and humans share a surprising number of similar characteristics. This includes physical traits, psychological characteristics, and behavioral and social characteristics. Though rats have earned a bad reputation for being disease-carriers, their similarity with humans has made them useful in laboratories. As a result, scientists are finding more ways to use rats in their research.
For example, both rodents and humans have sharp senses. Rats have very sensitive whiskers to help them navigate in dark environments, and they have longer guard hairs scattered throughout their fur. Rats also prefer to run along well-defined runways, but they also like to gnaw on rough surfaces and climb on walls.
Despite being similar in appearance and behavior, rodents and humans have drastically different reactions to chemical treatments. Male mice, for example, are highly sensitive to hepatocarcinogenesis. When exposed to 2-butoxyethanol by inhalation for 2 years, they had significantly higher rates of hemangiosarcoma and liver tumors than historical controls. Exposure-related increases were also found in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Rats are also capable of analyzing consequences, like humans do. According to a study published in Live Science, rats also analyze consequences of actions. This is called metacognition.
