Rats used to detect landmines

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It’s a natural response to hate rats, but there are definitely great reasons to reconsider your dislike for them.

One reason is the work rats do at APOPO, which stands for Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, meaning Anti-Personnel Landmine Detection Product Development.

Fully trained rats, known as HeroRATS, save lives by detecting landmines through projects in Tanzania and Thailand. Using their sense of smell, the rats can identify the TNT used in mines and scratch the surface above the mine to alert trainers to its location.

And the best thing about these HeroRATS? In return for saving lives, they’re happy with bananas.

HeroRATS are now also being trained to detect tuberculosis.

A great way to find out more about these HeroRATS is the TED talk video of Bart Weetjens, the brains behind APOPO.