BETA
Chapter 1
The viral sensation of Pizza Rat
Chapter 2
The biological survival guide of subway rats
Chapter 3
Subway wildlife beyond rats
Chapter 4
The invisible underground subway microbiome
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret subway ecosystem
Ch 2 · The biological survival guide of subway rats
misslily Subway Rats Secret Ecosystem
Deep beneath the city's lights, oh-oh, They make their subway nights, yeah! With a crumb or pizza slice, oh-oh, It's their urban paradise!
misslily Genetic studies reveal that Manhattan rats have split into distinct uptown and downtown populations that rarely mix.
misslily Underground rats survive extreme transit hazards by learning train schedules and avoiding electrified infrastructure.
Fun Fact
Whisker navigation: A rat's whiskers, or vibrissae, sweep back and forth 8 times per second to create a 3D map of dark subway tunnels.
Glossary
adaptation (noun)
A physical or behavioral trait that evolved to help an organism survive in its environment. New York's underground rodents have genetically evolved to digest the fatty, processed foods discarded in transit stations.
A physical or behavioral trait that evolved to help an organism survive in its environment. New York's underground rodents have genetically evolved to digest the fatty, processed foods discarded in transit stations.
Quiz
What physical feature allows rats to squeeze through holes as small as a quarter?
Quiz
What color of light are rats completely blind to, helping them hide in dark tunnels?
Quiz
Which sensory tool do rats use to communicate underground using sounds that humans cannot hear?
Quiz
How many times per second do a rat's whiskers sweep back and forth to map their surroundings?