Rats May Use Ultrasound to Enhance their Sense of Smell, a Study Suggests

Rodents communicate in sounds too high-pitched for human hearing, but scientists have discovered these vocalizations may serve another function—enhancing their sense of smell.

The high-pitched squeaks of cartoon mice aren’t too far from reality. For decades, scientists have documented rodents using ultrasonic frequencies to communicate, possibly to attract mates. Some researchers even suggest these sounds could resemble laughter, as rodents emit them when tickled, according to one of the most charming studies in recent years.

In a recent study, researchers from the University at Buffalo discovered an unexpected benefit of rodents’ ultrasonic pulses: these sounds may stir up particles in the air, allowing the animals to inhale them and enhance their sense of smell.

A Novel Discovery in Animal Behavior

“This is a completely new phenomenon, not previously observed or even suspected in any animal,” explains study co-author Eduardo Mercado III. “Rodents appear to manipulate their environment by controlling the molecular interactions of particles around them, creating new information pathways.”

The researchers were inspired by earlier studies on how rodents navigate their surroundings, which noted that the animals often sniff the air right after emitting ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs).

“That could be a coincidence, or it might indicate a functional connection between the two,” Mercado says. “I realized that similar ultrasound techniques are used in vibroacoustics to manipulate particles, so I thought the same might be true for animals.”

Vibroacoustics uses ultrasound vibrations to cluster particles in the air, and the team hypothesizes that mice and rats may do something similar, clustering odor molecules to be detected more easily by their keen noses—possibly including pheromones from companions, rivals, or potential mates.

Although the researchers present a strong case for this idea, it hasn’t been experimentally proven yet. However, it’s a fascinating concept that could uncover hidden aspects of animal behavior and abilities—ones that may have been right in front of us all along.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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