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Prompt: read the story and write a fictional follow-up: they tried to flood the rat cars and observed the rats’ reaction to climate crisis, extending Calhoun’s theory of “behavioral sink”
(Scientist Who Taught Rats How To Drive Explains Why She Did It)

See “Calhoun and the Murine Oedipal Crisis of Authorization”

After her success in teaching rats to drive, Dr. Kelly Lambert and her team devised a new experiment inspired by the looming climate crisis. They simulated “flood events” in a laboratory setting, carefully crafting an environment that mimicked rising water levels within the “rat cars.” The goal was to observe how the rats, with their newfound driving skills and understanding of spatial navigation, would react when their usual paths and goals became disrupted by environmental changes. Would they adapt, find alternate routes, or show signs of stress and disengagement?

The setup involved shallow water gradually seeping into the enclosure, transforming their previously dry, familiar racetrack into a partially submerged landscape. As the water rose, the rats initially scrambled, some attempting to drive their cars through the waterlogged areas while others abandoned their vehicles altogether, resorting to wading or even attempting to swim to higher ground within the lab setup. Researchers observed an immediate spike in stress-related behaviors—scratching, increased vocalizations, and reluctance to approach flooded areas, even when food rewards were in sight.

Interestingly, the rats housed in “enriched” environments with toys and varied stimuli prior to the flood simulation demonstrated greater adaptability. They navigated the watery terrain with more focus, taking calculated pauses before driving, and even appeared to collaborate with each other, following routes forged by one “leader rat” who braved the waters first. The less-stimulated rats, on the other hand, showed more signs of panic and aimless movement, often abandoning tasks and hesitating to even approach the car.

These findings extended John B. Calhoun’s theory of the “behavioral sink” but with a twist. Calhoun’s concept focused on social collapse due to overcrowding and resource strain, but here the “sink” was not population density but environmental degradation—a looming flood that rendered the usual resources inaccessible. Lambert’s team theorized that, much like humans, rats accustomed to enriched and adaptive environments seemed more resilient to change and better equipped to navigate crises. Rats that had been given more freedom and variety in their day-to-day activities, even if artificially created in the lab, showed greater neural plasticity and adaptability in the face of sudden environmental shifts.

Dr. Lambert noted, “In a sense, we’re seeing the seeds of resilience—adaptation based on exposure to diverse experiences and environments. It seems rats who’ve been challenged to explore and problem-solve cope better with drastic changes, like sudden flooding. It makes me wonder how humans might react if their daily routines were disrupted by a climate crisis.”

These findings opened new avenues for behavioral research and practical applications, hinting that adaptability might be a skill cultivated early on, through exposure to enriching and varied experiences. Lambert hopes this experiment will inspire further studies on resilience and adaptability—not just in rats, but in human settings, as the world faces its own climate-related challenges. The study, she says, is a glimpse into the complex interplay between environment, adaptability, and survival.