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Even In the Wild Mice Run In Wheels

Posted by Unknown on from the gym-for-field-mice dept.

sciencehabit (1205606) writes "Scientists have found that if they place a running wheel outside, wild animals will flock to it. The researchers observed more than 200,000 mice, rats, and even frogs using the apparatus over a three year period. The findings suggest that like (some) humans, mice and other animals may simply exercise because they like to. Figuring out why certain strains of mice are more sedentary than others could help shed light on genetic differences between more active and sedentary people."

4 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. I'm sedentary by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Most of the time I'm sedentary it's because my job has me sit at a desk typing code(or slashdot comments) all day. This is exacerbated for most people, because they attach an hour or more of sedentary driving onto each end.

    And being sedentary is mentally exhausting compared to light exercise. It's no surprise that there's an obesity epidemic.

    1. Re:I'm sedentary by Sarten-X · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is a terrible idea.

      If you're not used to exercising, your tissues aren't as elastic as they should be for typical workouts, especially in a gym setting where peer pressure encourages pushing limits. Pain is your body's warning that you've gotten a bit too close to those limits. With pain reliever, you don't get that early warning, so the first indication you have that something's wrong is a torn muscle or immobility the next day. After that, you'll need time to recover, allowing other nearby muscles to weaken again.

      Heed your body's warnings. You don't get another one.

      --
      You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
  2. Determining Motive. by Wycliffe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It seems a stretch to jump from "wild mice run in a treadmill" to "mice like to exercise".
    What if the treadmill is similiar to what laser pointers are to cats or video games are to humans?
    It could be that the mice thinks it's accomplishing something or has some other reason that
    it uses the treadmill other than because it likes to exercise.

    1. Re:Determining Motive. by mr_mischief · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Maybe it's a dumb mouse never quite finding the source of the pheremone trail it's following.