January 15, 2004

Squirrel Fishing: A New Approach to Rodent Performance Evaluation.

Another question that has been puzzling researchers for years is whether it is possible to make a squirrel fall on its back by skillful manipulation of a bait suspended above its head.

posted by dusted to other at 02:05 PM - 9 comments

In the rare cases where this does succeed, the subject becomes freaked out by the experience and runs away. Are squirrels cognitively capable of being 'freaked out'? Isn't this attributing purely human qualities to a rodent? Awesome post.

posted by garfield at 02:19 PM on January 15, 2004

Isn't this attributing purely human qualities to a rodent? Yes, even Harvard researchers can lapse into anthropomorphism! Tsk tsk. Don't miss the extended photo gallery, containing gems such as this and this.

posted by dusted at 03:47 PM on January 15, 2004

Yasuhiro Endo: the Bob Izumi of the squirrel world.

posted by smithers at 04:16 PM on January 15, 2004

I'm calling PETA, and don't try and stop me.

posted by billsaysthis at 04:52 PM on January 15, 2004

Isn't this attributing purely human qualities to a rodent? I thought it was more like attributing purely fish-like qualities to a rodent. What's that? Fishormorphism?

posted by worldcup2002 at 07:10 PM on January 15, 2004

cough cough Honest, it's in there. See, I THOUGHT you guys weren't reading my stuff...

posted by forksclovetofu at 09:09 PM on January 15, 2004

I've never been good at those Where's Waldo pictures.

posted by dusted at 10:43 PM on January 15, 2004

may i take this opportunity to recommend that you dig in there for the cup stacking link as well? I'm tellin' you, there's gold in them thar hills.

posted by forksclovetofu at 11:17 PM on January 15, 2004

Great stuff, but someone needs to tell the fellow suspending that squirrel that dressing like Steve from "Blue's Clues" is no way to get laid on campus.

posted by wfrazerjr at 12:23 AM on January 18, 2004

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