Can rats be kinder than people?

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A recent article from SparkPeople seems to suggest that - in least some instances - it's possible.

The article summarizes research led by a graduate student named Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal in which rats were consistently upset when another rat was trapped, and even went out of their way to rescue their fellow rat.

The research involved having two rats who normally shared a cage into another space. One of the rats was allowed to run free, while the other was placed in a tube. There was only one way to exit from the tube, and the only way to open that was to push on it from the outside.

The trapped rat would become upset. Over the course of a few days, the rat who was able to roam free would learn how to open the tube, and would free the trapped one.

Both rats would then be placed in yet another space, with the formerly-trapped rat again placed in the tube. Even if the free-roaming rat was tempted with the opportunity to eat chocolate, his first action would be to push on the door and free the other one.

A co-author of the study, neurobiology professor Peggy Mason, summarized the findings in this way: "It said to us that essentially helping their cage mate is on a par with chocolate. He can hog the entire stash if he wanted to, and he does not. We were shocked."

Now take a look at the front page of any newspaper and ask yourself: Would the folks who make the headlines be that compassionate?

Thank God most of us are at least as kind as a rat!

Read the article for yourself here.