Lab rats already have to endure many experiments in order for humans to learn new things. Now, they have to deal with a robotic rat that's sole purpose is to leave them depressed. Researchers at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan decided to build a robot rat in order to stress out the lab rats. New Scientist reports that the robot, named WR-3, was designed to irritate rats and depress them. WR-3 was put into a cage with two groups of 12 rats. One group of the rats was constantly harassed by WR-3 and the other group was intermittently attacked by WR-3 whenever they moved. The goal of the stress inducing experiment appears to be to get the lab rats depressed so that they are ideal subjects to test antidepressants, a category of drugs designed to treat depression.
We need to stop this madness! Please sign, and help make a difference in these rats lives.
