Rodents and Shrews

The Covid-19 pandemic has skyrocketed the demand for new strains of mice to help scientists understand the progression of the disease, test existing drugs, find new therapeutic targets and develop vaccines.

Building a Mouse Squad Against COVID-19

A Maine laboratory is on the verge of supplying a much-needed animal for SARS-CoV-2 research

Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science averaged the structures of 1,625 mouse brains to create a standard model.

Researchers Created a 3-D Map of 100 Million Cells in the Mouse Brain

Neuroscientists have been using the tool since 2017 to pinpoint where exactly their data are coming from

Naked mole-rats pile on top of each other in large groups to sleep inside their nest. This behavior may help keep carbon dioxide levels high, lowering the animals' risk of seizure.

Naked Mole-Rats Bathe Their Bodies in Carbon Dioxide to Prevent Seizures

Expelled by animals as a waste product, the gas appears to play a crucial role in keeping these bizarre, burrowing rodents safe

Could rats be genetically wired for New York City living?

Rats May Be Genetically Adapted to New York Living

Perhaps it was not just a massive slice that made Pizza Rat a true New Yorker

Two giraffes

Fourteen Fun Facts About Love and Sex in the Animal Kingdom

Out in the wild, flowers and candy just aren’t gonna cut it

This deer mouse certainly looks pretty stressed and scared.

When Stressed Out, Mice’s Fur Turns Gray Quickly

A new study gives scientific backing to an old adage—and suggests that stress might affect the human body in dramatic ways

Invasive Mice Are Gnawing the Scalps of Endangered Albatrosses

The mice already kill an estimated 2 million seabird chicks per year, but they now target breeding adults

Talk about a rat race.

Scientists Taught Rats to Drive Tiny Cars to Earn Froot Loops

What’s more, driving seemed to relax the rodents

Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis

New Species of Giant Flying Squirrel Discovered in China

Weighing 3 to 4 pounds, the Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel was recently found in Yunnan province

One of naked mole rats' claims to fame is their high pain tolerance when in contact with acid or high heat. These tough critters couldn't take the sting of wasabi like their furrier cousins, highveld mole rats, however.

Mole Rats Can't Feel Wasabi's Painful Kick, Hydrochloric Acid Burns or Hardly Any Pain at All

And studying the impervious critters might help scientists figure out new ways to treat pain in humans

The squirrels measure up to 36 inches from head to tail

Yes, Giant Technicolor Squirrels Actually Roam the Forests of Southern India

The colorful creatures can measure up to three feet long from head to tail and weigh in at around four pounds

The team's findings could have implications for the treatment of human communication disorders

Meet the Singing Mice of Central America

The vocal critters could help scientists better understand the mechanics of human conversation

Chubby Rat Stuck in Manhole Cover Rescued by Fearless Firefighters

It took eight volunteer firefighters to pop the overweight rodent out of a vent in the sewer cover

Scientists Use AI to Decode the Ultrasonic Language of Rodents

The DeepSqueak software translates the high-pitched communication into sonograms, which can be analyzed to determine what mice and rats are saying

Urban rats appeared to enjoy a steady diet of high-quality food, including protein-rich meat, while rural rats struggled to get by on limited, often meat-free meals

Urban Rats Enjoy Richer, More Reliable Diet Than Their Rural Counterparts

Researchers analyzed the remains of 86 brown rats that roamed Toronto between 1790 and 1890

Urban cats are more likely to hunt down birds, mice than rats

Cats Are Surprisingly Bad at Killing Rats

Over a 79-day period, feral felines killed just two rats, instead opting to hunt less challenging prey

Sometimes, it's okay to skip leg day.

For Men, Gains in the Gym May Come at a Cost to Sperm

There might be a tradeoff between how strong men look and sperm count

Two tacos, extra ghost pepper sauce, please!

Tree Shrews Love Hot Peppers Because They Don't Feel the Burn

A genetic mutation prevents Chinese tree shrews from feeling the heat of capsaicin, making them the only other mammal besides humans that enjoys hot foods

If you've waited this long for it, it must be good, right?

Both Mice and Men Struggle to Abandon Their Best-Laid Plans

Rodents suffer from the same sunk cost fallacy that makes it so hard for humans to call it quits

Coral Reefs Need Fewer Rats and More Bird Poo

A study of rat-infested islands in the Chagos show that a lack of seabirds--and their guano--degrades surrounding coral ecosystems

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