Comments on: Robotic rat terrorizes rats into depression

By: Jerril

Jerril — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:41:00 +0000

The psychedelics would still have to be tested on depressed animals before being tested on humans.

By: Diederik Werken

Diederik Werken — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:58:00 +0000

This is not science. It’s just animal cruelty.

By: Stephan

Stephan — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:31:00 +0000

Looks more like a robot rat that came from the future to kill a future rebel rat leader in the past.

By: Randy Walters

Randy Walters — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:19:00 +0000

I’m so sad. 21 comments, and I’m the first Bullwinkle fan?

By: Shibi_SF

Shibi_SF — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:37:00 +0000

This seems like a mean-spirited thing to do to the rats.

By: for_SCIENCE

for_SCIENCE — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:53:00 +0000

relevant: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2881#comic

By: Dlo Burns

Dlo Burns — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:26:00 +0000

You know they’ll eventually overthrow us, right?

By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus

fuzzyfuzzyfungus — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:13:00 +0000

Hence the urgent search for drugs that ameliorate such effects…

By: CHilke

CHilke — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:00:00 +0000

So being constantly bullied and terrorized by a machine that never tires causes depression? Doesn’t this describe working for every corporation in America?

By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus

fuzzyfuzzyfungus — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:31:00 +0000

Why do you hate American Jobs?

By: Stefan Jones

Stefan Jones — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:11:00 +0000

Robot rats for role playing games!

http://monkeyhousegames.com/?page_id=18&mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=319

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/219/2/0/CantankeRATS_by_Talzhemir1.pdf

By: Tom Hartman

Tom Hartman — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Rewease the secret weapon!

By: Sekino

Sekino — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:56:00 +0000

Gah. I once had a supervisor just like that.

By: Smash Martian

Smash Martian — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:46:00 +0000

I think it’s just escalation.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/worlds-scientists-admit-they-just-dont-like-mice,1256/

By: orwell

orwell — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:45:00 +0000

brought to you by your friends at skynet pharmaceuticals…

By: theophrastvs

theophrastvs — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:36:00 +0000

clearly some folks are still blaming them for that whole black plague thing

By: niktemadur

niktemadur — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:21:00 +0000

In order to make the planet better, we must make it a sadistically horrible place, put the fucking white lab coat on and leave your conscience and emotions at the door. This is the kind of research that leads to billions in profits for Big Pharma.
Meanwhile, official research in the incredibly promising area of psychedelics as a cure for depression, anxiety and schizophrenia is almost nonexistent.

What’s not to be depressed about when one feels ashamed of the human species?

By: MarlboroTestMonkey7

MarlboroTestMonkey7 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:20:00 +0000

Stop the robotic bullying!

By: Boundegar

Boundegar — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:18:00 +0000

Already? But I haven’t unleashed the robotic rats yet!

By: Gendun

Gendun — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:02:00 +0000

This leaves me unspeakably depressed.

By: Darren MacLennan

Darren MacLennan — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:47:00 +0000

“Science: We’re all about coulda, not about shoulda.” – Patton Oswalt

By: vonbobo

vonbobo — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:41:00 +0000

still waiting on apocalypse!

By: oldtaku

oldtaku — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:38:00 +0000

I bet the US Military/CIA’s torture guys would love a few of these. Similar to tactics they already use… but more convenient!

By: SumAnon

SumAnon — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:31:00 +0000

So not moving = depression????

Being forced to sit still in order to avoid a robot attack … and then subjected to anti-depression medication. Sounds like a creative version of Hell.

By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus

fuzzyfuzzyfungus — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:27:00 +0000

“Researchers set WR-3 loose on two groups of 12 young rats once a day for five days in continuous attack mode. A few weeks later when the rats had matured, their movements were studied in an open field and while the robot chased it. Then, rats in group A were re-exposed to continuous attacks, while group B was exposed to the interactive attack.
The intermittent, interactive form of attack proved to be the most stressful. It was most effective in creating a deep depression in a mature rat that had been harassed during development. ”

So, send somebody to middle and high school, and then out into the world and you replicate the most-effective procedure for producing depression in rat models.

Thankfully animal testing is totally unrelated to humans!