Male mice began obsessively mating with nearby mice of both genders, which was sometimes nothing more than violent sexual assaults. Pansexualism, cannibalism, and self-focused detachment became the norm. In some cases, fetuses died and were simply absorbed into the mother’s body.Īs the situation worsened, Calhoun solemnly noted: “Their spirit has died…” Insanity ensued and the population dropped. Female mice became inattentive mothers, often abandoning or killing their young. Male mice formed gangs that randomly attacked or killed one another for no apparent reason. During the intermediate stage, mice began crowding together in large groups when there was plenty of free space to spread out more efficiently and comfortably. After 300 days or so, there was an inexplicable breakdown of societal norms which caused a noticeable slowing in population growth (which eventually peaked at 2200 before plummeting to zero). All their needs were met: food, water, shelter of various kinds, and protection from the elements and predators.Įverything was fine until the population reached less than a quarter of what the enclosure could sustain. The population started with four breeding pairs that were lab-raised and resistant to communicable disease. He constructed a mouse city called “Universe 25” that had enough square footage for over 3800 albino house mice to live comfortably. He had been doing such experiments since the 1950s with Norway rats, but this was his biggest attempt yet. Calhoun, who created a massive mouse “utopia” to record the social pathology of living in a structured society. Perhaps the most ambitious and well-known behavioral experiment with mice was conducted between 19 by American ethologist John B. Thing is, though, we might actually learn a Biblical truth about ourselves in the observation of utopian mice. So if you feel like a lab rat being manipulated in an absurd experiment, you now know why. In fact, many public and private organizations have often implemented policies to guide human activity because of what scientists observed in their precious vermin. Today, because of how rodents react to various stimuli in scientific research, the world has adopted a certain view of what makes a human being tick. In the 20th century, however, psychologists began to adore these pink-tailed creatures as test subjects for their studies on one particular subject: Human Behavior. Early on, they found out that the genetic, biological, and behavioral characteristics of rodents closely resemble those of humans, and their ease of handling and quick breeding made them ideal specimens for most scientific research into the many disorders of mankind. Of course, this kind of metaphor isn’t surprising when we consider the fact that scientists throughout modern history have been using laboratory rodents to gain insight into the human condition. But are we really better if we find the cheddar? We can only hope the cheese in question isn’t bait in a snapping trap. There was even a bestseller in 1998 titled, “Who Moved My Cheese?” which used this man/mouse connection to create a self-help allegory for business success. In our rodent-like existence, we are often spinning that hamster wheel, trying to win the rat race, or feeling like someone’s guinea pig. Have you ever felt like a mouse running through a maze? It certainly is a common feeling among members of human society at one time or another. This is an edited version of a previously-published article.
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