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Trained Rats for Mine Detection

Posted by michael on from the cleanup-on-aisle-five dept.

rikomatic writes "The dangerous profession of anti-personnel mine detection is getting a surprising new tool: giant Gambian rats (NY Times reg). Some resourceful Belgians have figured out how to train these 30-inch rodents to hunt out landmines. They are cheaper and work harder than dogs and are more reliable than metal detectors. Plus, if one of them blows up, who's going to cry?"

3 of 456 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Who is going to care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I'm starting a new organization PUTZ People for Unethical Treatment of Zoologists.

  2. Who's gonna cry? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Why, baby jesus of course.

  3. Rodents could be sentient. by Thinkit4 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    From vertebrates on, there is a thalamus surrounding a ventricle. Electrical activity across the conductive ventricle hosts consciousness.

    --
    -I am an elective eunuch.