Scientists Teach Rats to Drive Tiny Cars, and they Absolutely Love Revving Their Engines

Forget Formula 1—scientists have found a new breed of thrill-seekers: rats that drive tiny cars. Yes, you read that right. A team of researchers, led by University of Richmond neuroscientist Kelly Lambert, the scientists who have taught rats to drive small vehicles, has found that the rats not only learn to drive small vehicles, but they also have a remarkable enthusiasm for doing that, from revving up the “engine” to eagerly jumping into the driver’s seat.

Driving Rats: A Quirky Experiment With Surprising Insights

In their ongoing research, Lambert’s team explored how training rats to drive contributes to understanding animal cognition, environmental impacts, and stress. While teaching lab rats to operate “rodent-operated vehicles” may sound whimsical, the results are fascinating. Rats weren’t just going through the motions for a Froot Loop treat. They seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience.

During lockdowns, Lambert noticed something extraordinary: the rats began behaving like pets excited about a walk, jumping to the side of their cages at the sight of the cars. What might have started as a clever way to test animal learning revealed an emotional dimension. The rats’ anticipation for driving was just as rewarding as the sugary snack waiting at the end of their journey.

Rats Revving Their Engines: A Lesson for Humans

Quite Curiously, it was the driving rats who excelled in cognitive sectors as compared to their peers, thus indicating that such involvement could have enhanced the functioning of their brain. When given the choice of a shorter walk or a longer drive towards their reward, most of these furry racers decided on the driving option.

But, beyond the Internet’s infatuation with cuter versions of raccoons, the experiment has a more important message. As Lambert’s investigations take it, the time spent waiting for something can be just as pleasurable as the achievement of the goal, which is a concept most humans tend to forget every so often. Lambert made a guess that this illustrates developed an appreciation for the process as much as the result.

The takeaway? Even rodents can teach us that it is often best to sit it out and “savor the moment”: “rather than simply the act pushing buttons for instant rewards,” she explained, “these tease us with thoughts of planning, anticipation and enjoying the scheme and the sequence of events which is rather so very important for a healthy brain.”