Rats Reveal Happy Faces: Study Discovers Emotional Expressions
Scientists have uncovered fascinating insights into the emotional lives of rats. A new study, published in PLOS ONE, reveals that rats exhibit distinct facial expressions and ear movements when experiencing positive emotions, such as happiness and enjoyment.
The research, conducted by an unspecified team, is a first in exploring signs of positive emotions on rats' faces. It builds on previous findings that rats emit a 'laughing' sound when tickled, indicating they enjoy the sensation.
When tickled, individual rats display varying preferences based on their unique personalities. Happy rats relax their ears, allowing them to hang loosely to the side. This ear movement is akin to a smile in humans, and it's one of the first rat facial expressions to be identified. The study also suggests that the pink ears often associated with happy rats might be due to increased blood flow, although more research is needed to confirm this.
Rats are not the only mammals to use facial expressions during play. Many species, including primates and dogs, employ open-mouthed expressions when interacting with each other. Remarkably, rats can even recognize one facial expression in others - pain, as they avoid photographs of grimacing rats.
This groundbreaking study sheds light on the emotional lives of rats, demonstrating that they express happiness and other positive emotions through facial expressions and ear movements. Understanding these cues could significantly improve the welfare of captive rats and other animals by enabling better recognition and response to their emotional states.
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