why do scientists mainly use rats in experiments rather than other animals? What makes them so special and why?
In: Biology
Rats are very smart, practically immune to disease, and always die of cancer. So it turns out rats are really great at helping us understand what chemicals can cause cancer. Their advanced intelligence is a good model for psychology. They also have hands, which few animals have. This is another way they model humans well.
I think mice are more commonly used than rats in medical studies. Mice are very similar to us on a molecular level. And they breed quickly, allowing “life long” studies in 2 months time span.
Which animals you use are sort of a paper rock scissors game. It just depends on your goals.
Latest Answers