December 16, 2023
In a new study conducted by scientists at Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus, USA, it was found that rats have an imagination that is like that of humans. Just like how human beings navigate places they have visited before based on their memory of the place, rats can also navigate locations by recalling details of the location. They are capable of thinking of places they have visited in the past that are far from their current locations. For the study, scientists detected rats’ brain activity by making use of virtual reality and a brain machine interface (BMI) and found that rats can control their thoughts voluntarily. The activity in the rats’ hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps in remembering events and navigating places, is like that of humans.
Did You Know?
Rats’ whiskers are extremely sensitive and rats use them to get a sense of their environment.
ACTIVITY: No Eyes Needed
Name 5 spaces you can navigate through with your eyes closed.
