But now, for the first time, scientists have spotted the rat equivalent of a smile—and it’s all in the ears. They found that happy laboratory rats not only can be literally tickled pink ...

We know that rats are highly social creatures who form very strong bonds with their owners, so regular interaction is really ...

Prior research has also shown that groups of caged rats emit high-pitched squeaks when happy and lower-pitched sounds when they are not. Some in the field have suggested this behavior is similar ...

Wondering if your pet rat is feeling happy? You should check its ears, researchers say. A team of scientists in Switzerland found that a rat's ears are more pinkish and are positioned at a more ...

Rats can’t talk, but researchers say there is one easy way to tell if they’re happy: look at their ears. A group of Swiss scientists tickled rats to make them happy for science, in a ...

But there are plenty of reasons to want to know what a happy rat looks like: In addition to helping scientists monitor lab animal welfare, these cues could help out in studies where positive ...

Rats love watching other rats get tickled, so much so that they start doing happy little jumps, according to a new study. When “observer” rats watch other “demonstrator” rats getting ...

Emeryville, Calif. – Lights, camera … saffron? “Ratatouille,” Pixar’s new film about one rat’s dream of haute cuisine, came by its acting chops the old-fashioned way, turning to real ...

But there are plenty of reasons to want to know what a happy rat looks like: In addition to helping scientists monitor lab animal welfare, these cues could help out in studies where positive ...