During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the beginning of March 2020, humans across the globe were forced to abandon their regular lives and quarantine in the confines of their homes. Offices, classrooms, and bustling metropolises turned into ghost towns overnight. And yet, despite the ebb of human activity in cities across the world, urban ecosystems flourished as playgrounds for other residents; rats, rodents, and the animals of our cities came out of hiding and into the spotlight of urban activity.

While we spend most of our lives avoiding rodents and even paying others to get rid of them for us,  they play an undeniable and crucial role in advancing the knowledge of humankind. In biomedical research, for example, scientists and researchers have long favored rats and mice as research specimens due to their anatomical, physiological, and genetic similarities to humans. Their contributions are numerous and invaluable, having advanced knowledge in cardiovascular medicine, neurodegenerative diseases, transplantation practices, and countless behavioral science breakthroughs.

Join The Explorers Club as we dive into the science of rats, their importance in biomedical research, and their role in our global ecosystems.

STREAMING

This lecture will be an entirely remote, virtual lecture.

To watch, stream live here on explorers.org, our YouTube Channel, and our Facebook Live — Monday, May 2nd at 7:00 pm ET.