In a simple experiment, researchers at the University of Chicago sought to find out whether a rat would release a fellow rat from an unpleasantly restrictive cage if it could. The answer was yes.
The free rat, occasionally hearing distress calls from its compatriot, learned to open the cage and did so with greater efficiency over time. It would release the other animal even if there wasn’t the payoff of a reunion with it. Astonishingly, if given access to a small hoard of chocolate chips, the free rat would usually save at least one treat for the captive — which is a lot to expect of a rat.
The researchers came to the unavoidable conclusion that what they were seeing was empathy — and apparently selfless behavior driven by that mental state.
“A New Model of Empathy: The Rat” by David Brown, Washington Post
OH MY.
this just in: rats are more humane than humans
Rats are more compassionate than Republicans, pass it on.
thenobleprincess liked this 
zukkacore liked this 
badlikecaffeine reblogged this from marmita-tuga 
marmita-tuga reblogged this from nagitoisgay petalstripe liked this
nagitoisgay reblogged this from vampirepsychology 
rat-utopia liked this 
mrsjadecurtiss liked this 
wheeleybarger reblogged this from dulect 
font-freak liked this 
jamie-the-ysalamir reblogged this from ph0enixpers0n - jamie-the-ysalamir liked this
ph0enixpers0n reblogged this from darthlenaplant - ph0enixpers0n liked this
sunangelflowers liked this
darthlenaplant reblogged this from galadhir
staggstuff liked this
astargatelover reblogged this from galadhir
unearthsea liked this
knightingflail reblogged this from phantom-lights
blue-saltire liked this koalatydm reblogged this from phantom-lights
preznt liked this 
laurasinele liked this 
dare-i-say-bisexual reblogged this from galadhir - dare-i-say-bisexual liked this
humanwheatleysothertoenails reblogged this from phantom-lights phantom-lights reblogged this from galadhir
tbangles liked this
bus-drivers-hate-her liked this galadhir reblogged this from magickedteacup
3rd-master-makarov reblogged this from seleighe-court rhaegarzeppeli liked this
dimondlite reblogged this from magickedteacup
magickedteacup reblogged this from onacloudpine
onacloudpine reblogged this from dracolizardlars
bene-enne liked this
candydoppelbox liked this 
lovelyluce liked this virg1ncake liked this
seleighe-court liked this - seleighe-court reblogged this from dracolizardlars
dracolizardlars reblogged this from kingofthesheep
bullshittimetravelshenanigans reblogged this from kingofthesheep
kingofthesheep reblogged this from dorkery katreus posted this
- Show more notes
