Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Teaching Rats To Drive A Car

Sunday in the Washington Post was an article written by Professor Kelly Lambert, a neuroscientist at the University of Richmond, explaining how she and her team created tiny cars and taught rats to drive them. After each drive, they reward the rats with a Fruit Loop.

If I were to interview Professor Lambert, this is how I imagine the interview:

DK: Who thought it was a good idea to build tiny cars and teach rats to drive them?

PL: Things had been very slow in the neuroscience department. And then one Saturday night at a keg party, after a few rounds of beers, we got this great idea.

PL: Soon, we were building tiny cars and not only teaching rats to drive them but betting on the results. Our reigning champion is Speedy Gonzalez.

PL: And that’s not all! Rat Racing is becoming so popular that we envision competing with other Rat Racing teams.

DK: As Rat Racing gets big, Like NASCAR, and Formula One, do you intend to sell advertising?

PL: Yes! We’re talking to Coca-Cola, Anheuser Busch, Geico and others. We picture our rats wearing oversize jerseys with ads all over them along with a TV contract and ad signage on the race tracks.

DK: But what if the rats demand to share in the profits?

PL: We pay them with more Froot Loops. But better yet, they become celebrities, and make a fortune in endorsements. If rock stars can endorse everything in sight, so can Speedy Gonzales, and we will share in the endorsement money!

PL: This may be the first time in history a university neuroscience department ever made money!

With Love To All - Dick

To read The Washington Post story  https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/11/08/driving-rats-anticipation-learning-neuroscience/ 


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