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Articles on Rats

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A hopping mouse from the arid desert of Australia (Notomys). Hopping mice have evolved highly efficient kidneys to deal with the low water environments of Australia’s deserts. David Paul/Museums Victoria

‘Impressive rafting skills’: the 8-million-year old origin story of how rodents colonised Australia

Australia has more than 60 species of native rodents found nowhere else in the world. New research used museum specimens to find out how they got here.
Are cats really to blame for the worldwide loss of biodiversity? Dzurag/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Don’t blame cats for destroying wildlife – shaky logic is leading to moral panic

Framing cats as responsible for declines in biodiversity is based on faulty scientific logic and fails to account for the real culprit – human activity.
Cities around the world appear to be harboring increasing numbers of rats, including this one: the inflatable ‘Scabby the Rat.’ robert cicchetti/Shutterstock.com

Super rats or sickly rodents? Our war against urban rats could be leading to swift evolutionary changes

Cities often embark upon drastic and expensive eradication campaigns designed to rapidly rid the city of pests like rats. But are the surviving rats stronger or weaker than before?
Learning about urban rat populations through genetic testing reveals information about their movements through cities. Shutterstock

Rat detective uses DNA to uncover how rats scurry around cities

Genetic analysis shows that urban rats prefer to stay near their relatives; however, some of them migrate. Knowing this could help with pest control efforts.

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