Mice and rats have long been used in medical research because of their biological similarities to humans. The tiny animals have already shown an ability to recognize objects, push buttons and find their way through complex paths. Now, scientists have trained rats to drive small vehicles created for them. One of the main findings of the experiment was that the driving activity seemed to help the rats relax. Researchers at the University of Richmond in Virginia led the experiment. Their findings were published in Behavioural Brain Research. The team built tiny cars out of plastic and other materials. The vehicles had an opening at one end where electrical wires were attached. By touching one of three different wires, the rat could steer the car in different directions.
Title: Scientists Trained Rats to Drive Cars.
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/rats.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Scientists Trained Rats to Drive Cars.' data-article-id='4247'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='10479'>Mice and rats have long been used in medical research because of their biological similarities to humans.</span> <span data-start-time='10479' data-end-time='22938'>The tiny animals have already shown an ability to recognize objects, push buttons and find their way through complex paths.</span> <span data-start-time='22938' data-end-time='29833'>Now, scientists have trained rats to drive small vehicles created for them.</span> <span data-start-time='29833' data-end-time='40458'>One of the main findings of the experiment was that the driving activity seemed to help the rats relax.</span> <span data-start-time='40458' data-end-time='47583'>Researchers at the University of Richmond in Virginia led the experiment.</span> <span data-start-time='47583' data-end-time='53271'>Their findings were published in Behavioural Brain Research.</span> <span data-start-time='53271' data-end-time='60333'>The team built tiny cars out of plastic and other materials.</span> <span data-start-time='60333' data-end-time='66938'>The vehicles had an opening at one end where electrical wires were attached.</span> <span data-start-time='66938' data-end-time='74688'>By touching one of three different wires, the rat could steer the car in different directions.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/rats.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=13950 data-hint-location='10479' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/what_does_complex_mean.wav'>What does complex mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='consist of many parts'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/object_recognition.wav'><span>object recognition</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/experimental_approach.wav'><span>experimental approach</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/consist_of_many_parts.wav'><span>consist of many parts</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/built_out_of_plastic.wav'><span>built out of plastic</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=13951 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/why_are_rats_used_in_medical_research.wav'>Why are rats used in medical research?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='biologically similar to humans'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/biologically_similar_to_humans.wav'><span>biologically similar to humans</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/they_are_inexpensive_to_keep.wav'><span>they are inexpensive to keep</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/ability_to_drive_small_cars.wav'><span>ability to drive small cars</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/they_are_able_to_relax.wav'><span>they are able to relax</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=13952 data-hint-location='29833' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/driving_helped_the_rats_to__blank_.wav'>Driving helped the rats to <span class='blank'>relax</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='relax'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/relax.wav'><span>relax</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/learn.wav'><span>learn</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/steer.wav'><span>steer</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3766/create.wav'><span>create</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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