Rats: some useful web pages

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation citing Riley DA, Rosenzweig MR (August 1957). "Echolocation in rats". Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. 50 (4): 323–8. doi:10.1037/h0047398. PMID 13475510.

Coprophagia/refection

http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/coprophagy.php

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/coprophagy.htm

Longevity and other stats for rattus rattus

http://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Rattus_rattus

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Laboratory rats

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laboratory_rat

https://www.labome.com/method/Laboratory-Mice-and-Rats.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/history-lab-rat-scientific-triumphs-ethical-quandaries-180971533/

http://theconversation.com/animals-in-research-rats-16634

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_testing_on_rodents

https://www.nature.com/articles/428464a?proof=true&draft=collection%3Fproof%3DtrueA7Q

https://elifesciences.org/articles/50651 (useful summary re species characteristics, etc.)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/history-lab-rat-scientific-triumphs-ethical-quandaries-180971533/

https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/studies-rats-apply-humans.htm

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123914484000034?via%3Dihub (summary of main lab rat strains)

https://theconversation.com/animals-in-research-rats-16634

Lab rats and mazes:

https://conductscience.com/maze/historical-mazes/

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_mouse_trap/2011/11/rat_mazes_and_mouse_mazes_a_history_.html?via=gdpr-consent

"Knockout" rats

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knockout_rat

https://www.genetargeting.com/rats/what-is-a-knockout-rat/

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Altruism in rats

Forsaking chocolate to save companion: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/05/rats-forsake-chocolate-save-drowning-companion

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-you-rat-me-out/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20150514-rats-save-mates-from-drowning

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1963-02725-001

https://news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/ill-scratch-yours-if-you-scratch-mine-how-rats-help-each-other-out

Empathetic rats free fellow trapped rats:

http://news.yahoo.com/empathic-rats-free-trapped-buddies-restraints-op-ed-214444747.html

Reciprocal altruism in rats

https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13420-015-0201-2

Rats prefer helping friends over strangers

https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/empathy-study-shows-rats-prefer-helping-their-friends-over-strangers-350842

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Evolution and history

http://ratbehavior.org/history.htm

Earliest known mammal ancestors

https://www.livescience.com/60888-rat-creatures-were-earliest-eutherian-mammal-ancestors.html

Humans influencing rat evolution:

https://undark.org/2019/12/17/urban-rat-evolution/

Rat genome sequenced

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4840-rat-genome-reveals-supercharged-evolution/

Genomic analysis of norvegicus origins and migrations

https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/35/1/149/4566215 (origin poss. S/E Asia rather than northern Asia)

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The rat in Chinese history and culture

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/22/c_138727127.htm

Chinese zodiac symbolism

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/rat-chinese-zodiac-sign-symbolism.htm

Chinese zodiac history

https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07030/history.html

Chinese attitudes to rats

https://www.visiontimes.com/2016/05/30/have-a-pet-rat-find-out-what-the-ancient-chinese-thought-about-them.html

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Assorted info (see also Misc)

Rats' cleanliness

https://pocketsizedpets.com/how-clean-are-pet-rats-do-they-carry-diseases/

Eating mussels,e.g. River Nene

https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/rats-eat-mussels

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1550660.stm

(Italian Journal of Zoology – predation of rats on molluscs)

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/11250007409430096

Rats “smarter” than people

https://hbr.org/2015/01/rats-can-be-smarter-than-people

Rats “aren’t smarter than mice”

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/rats-arent-smarter-than-mice-and-that-actually-matters/381430/

Duchess Eglington

https://electricscotland.com/history/women/scottish_women_chapter10.htm

Destruction of rats to protect other wildlife:

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/rare-birds-return-to-remote-south-georgia-island-after-successful-rat-eradication-programme-10345864.html

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/28/seabirds-treble-on-lundy-after-island-is-declared-rat-free

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305501484_The_ground-based_eradication_of_Norway_rats_Rattus_norvegicus_from_the_Isle_of_Canna_Inner_Hebrides_Scotland

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Parisians defend wild rats

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/07/paris-commuters-targeted-adverts-claiming-rats-sensitive-individuals/

Car-driving rats experiment

https://news.richmond.edu/releases/article/-/16721/research-scientists-at-university-of-richmond-teach-rats-to-drive-results-may-inform-future-research-strategies-for-mental-health-treatments.html

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2220721-scientists-have-trained-rats-to-drive-tiny-cars-to-collect-food/

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/scientists-trained-rats-to-drive-cars-what-did-they-learn-/5147564.html

Rats' visual ability "superior to AI"

https://www.popsci.com/technology/rats-v-ai/

Laughing tickled rats

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/watch-these-ticklish-rats-laugh-and-jump-joy

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ticklish-rats-get-giggles-when-theyre-good-mood-180961061/

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/tickling-rats-for-science/?mbid=social11719524

Tickled rats are optimistic

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0051959

Playfulness in rats

“Freudensprung” (in rats playing hide-and-seek)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ticklish-rats-get-giggles-when-theyre-good-mood-180961061/

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2019-09-12/rats-can-play-hide-and-seek

Fat rat saved from German manhole cover

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47370291

BBC article Is it time to stop hating the rat?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42708127

NFRS member interviewed

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10635966.Why_I_love_rats/

Do rats have out-of-body or near-death experiences?

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-08/13/after-death-consciousness-rats

Cats to catch rats in China

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-08/26/content_16919221.htm

The Hanoi rat hunt

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hanoi-rat-massacre-1902

https://freakonomics.com/media/vannrathunt.pdf

Spread of roof rats in Portland:

http://www.kgw.com/news/County-sees-rise-in-rare-roof-rats--225237442.html

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Rats helping people outside the laboratory

Hector the astronaut (first rat in space)

http://www.china.org.cn/top10/2011-11/22/content_23976223_9.htm

(from https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-animals-astronauts-in-space.php)

Mine-clearing rats

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APOPO

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/10/151006-giant-rats-landmines-cambodia-science-animals

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/african-giant-pouched-rat

Detecting tuberculosis

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321458.php#1

Sniffer rats

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/09/dutch_police_poised_to_use_sni.php

Fido’s story

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/fido-the-super-rat-saves-family-from-blaze-1156186.html

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hero+rat+saves+family+from+fire.-a060265122

Yentl the rat saves owner

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/18/Pet-rat-saves-owner-from-fire/6757448434000

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Black Death/Plague

Was B/Death (ebola-type) virus?

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/black-death-was-caused-by-the-ebola-virus-9242867.html (23 Jan 2001)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17223184-000-did-bubonic-plague-really-cause-the-black-death/ 24th Nov. 2001)

https://pmj.bmj.com/content/81/955/315 (May 2005, CJ Duncan, Uni. Liverpool)

https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/viruses101/could_the_black_death_actually/ (Nov 8, 2013)

https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/black-death5.htm (2017?)

BD “caused by humans not rats”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/black-death-what-cause-humans-rats-fleas-deaths-bubonic-plague-a8162006.html (16 Jan 2018)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/01/rats-plague-black-death-humans-lice-health-science/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/5351420/black-death-rats-blame-plague-spread/ (Jan 2018)

https://www.livescience.com/61444-black-death-cause-found-transmission.html (Jn 2018)

Russian early BD evidence

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/plague-black-death-skeletons-grave-russia-bubonic-discovery-genetics-a8389566.html (June 2018)

Justinian Plague and Black Death related

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/1/140129-justinian-plague-black-death-bacteria-bubonic-pandemic/

“Rats, communication and plague” (incl. info on rat movements in R. Empire) Jnl of Interdisciplinary History XXXIV:1 (Summer 2003) 1-25:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/36567

Yersinia pestis vaccine work

https://www.livescience.com/56483-vaccines-plague-bacteria.html

Scarcity of black rats and BD

( David E. Davis The Journal of Interdisciplinary History

Vol. 16, No. 3 (Winter, 1986), pp. 455-470)

https://www.jstor.org/stable/204499?seq=1

Black Death genome mapping

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2011/10/12/scientists-sequence-the-full-black-death-genome-and-find-the-mother-of-all-plagues/

General info re plague (includes links to factsheets)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/the-plague/

Plague in the USA

https://www.livescience.com/49088-plague-united-states.html

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