Diese Ratten haben Autofahren gelernt – und sie lieben es

We crafted our first rodent car from a plastic cereal container. After trial and error, my colleagues and I found that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like a gas pedal. Before long, they were steering with surprising precision to reach a Froot Loop treat.

As expected, rats housed in enriched environments—complete with toys, space, and companions—learned to drive faster than those in standard cages. This finding supported the idea that [complex environments enhance neuroplasticity](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112309): the brain’s ability to change across the lifespan in response to environmental demands.

Here’s how we did it.

Read the full story: [https://www.wired.com/story/these-rats-learned-to-drive-and-they-love-it/](https://www.wired.com/story/these-rats-learned-to-drive-and-they-love-it/)