Rats learned to drive
Rats, goldfish and even orangutans learning to operate tiny cars, carts and other vehicles are prompting curiosity about animal intelligence, joy and play. Commenters trade examples of animals mastering tools and transport, debate how much true cognition and understanding is involved, and reflect on what these behaviors suggest about motivation, enrichment and the universal pleasure of effortless movement.
Overall Reaction and Humor
- Many find the rat-driving experiment adorable and delightful; the joy of both rats and researcher is highlighted.
- Thread is full of jokes: “ratonomous vehicles,” rats as chauffeurs, literal “rat race,” rat casinos, and racing rats as a spectator sport.
- Some riff on self-driving vs “rat-driving” cars, with light jabs at Full Self-Driving and human drivers.
Other Animals Driving and Playing
- Users share examples of orangutans driving golf carts, dogs and turtles skateboarding, onewheels, and a parrot “driving” a toy car.
- These examples are used to emphasize animal curiosity, coordination, and apparent enjoyment of movement.
- A goldfish “driving” rig is discussed; some accept it as evidence of navigation, others argue it’s just stimulus-response toward food.
Joy, Anticipation, and Movement
- Several connect the rats’ enthusiasm to a broader pattern: many animals (including humans) seem to enjoy effortless or efficient movement.
- Runners and observers of birds/gliding species echo that sustained, low-effort motion can feel intrinsically rewarding.
- The article’s idea that anticipation of fun reshapes behavior and well-being resonates; “behavioral pharmaceuticals” are mentioned approvingly.
Skepticism and Limits
- Some doubt that certain animal driving demos (golf-cart orangutan, goldfish rigs) involve deep cognition or abstraction, suggesting imitation or simple conditioning instead.
- Concerns raised about whether fish or insects truly “understand” their environment when steering vehicles.
Ethics, Lifestyles, and Use of Animals
- Debate over people dedicating homes and time to pet rats: one side calls it “unnatural” or “lost,” others defend it as a valid, joyful hobby no stranger than careerist grind.
- Users mention rats used to detect landmines and people under rubble, praising them as “unexpected heroes.”
Communication and Behavior
- Discussion of rat tail posture similar to cats’ tails as a potential shared “tail language” across species; curiosity about a broader “tail gesture embedding space,” but details remain unclear.