داستان موش‌ها: تأثیر آن‌ها بر ما و تأثیر ما بر آن‌ها

I read this book back when I was working at a bookstore and had just started dating a girl that kept pet rats. I had never been around them before and thought it would be a good idea to learn more about rat care; this is not a book about rat care. It is, however, a wonderful book about rats and how they live and coexist with humans. Through a combination of personal stories and research, the author covers many of the highlights of rodent human interactions. Where they probably came from, how they spread, how they are similar and different to humans, etc. To me the most interesting stories were about how their curiosity often makes them unsuited (uncooperative) to training experiments, and how their social structure helps them to survive capture and poisoning. Neat book. Tells how rats and humans have lived together and interacted throughout history.'Mr Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I'll nip him in the bud.'An English Member of ParliamentAre rats still a threat to our health and food? Do they think? Is it true that wild rats sometimes die, unwounded, from social stress? Can studies of rat societies tell us anything useful about our own social lives?Love them or loathe them, everyone has a rat story. Throughout history vast numbers of rats of many species have shared our space, our food and our diseases; and they continue to do so.Yet The Story of Rats is more than a tale about how people and rats live together. It is about science and scientists, the problems they solve and fail to solve, and the scope and imperfections of our scientific knowledge of the world. It is a book for those who love rats or fear them; for the curious, the science literate and non-literate alike.Early in the Second World War, equipped only with firs class honours from Oxford University, Tony Barnett was drafted, not into the trenches (there weren't any), but into the sewers, wharves, food stores and other rat-infested environments offered by a London bombed nightly by the Luftwaffe. Thus began his interest in rats and his academic career in Scotland, India, Australia and North America. He is now Emeritus Professor of Zoology in the Australian National University. Are Rats Still A Threat To Our Health And Food? Do They Think? Is It True That Wild Rats Sometimes Die, Unwounded, From Social Stress? Can Studies Of Rat Societies Tell Us Anything Useful About Our Own Social Lives? Love Them Or Loathe Them, Everyone Has A Rat Story. Throughout History Vast Numbers Of Rats Of Many Species Have Shared Our Space, Our Food And Our Diseases And They Continue To Do So. Yet The Story Of Rats Is More Than A Tale About How People And Rats Live Together. It Is About Science And Scientists, The Problems They Solve And Fail To Solve, And The Scope And Imperfections Of Our Scientific Knowledge Of The World. It Is A Book For Those Who Love Rats Or Fear Them: For The Curious, The Science Literate And Non-literate Alike.--jacket. 1. Tales Of Rats -- 2. Naming And Taming -- 3. All Fall Down -- 4. A Battle Of Wits -- 5. Do Rats Think -- 6. Are Rats Gluttons -- 7. All In Their Genes -- 8. Rat Societies -- 9. Population Explosions -- 10. Social Life And Death -- 11. Nature And Human Nature. S. Anthony Barnett. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 188-195) And Index. More than the story of how people and rats live together, this book takes a serious and intriguing look at science and scientists, the problems they solve and fail to solve, and the scope and imperfections of our scientific knowledge of the world. It answers questions such as: Are rats still a threat to human health? Do rats think? Is it true that wild rats sometimes die, unwounded, from social stress? Can studies of rat societies tell us anything useful about our own social lives? This compelling historical and social study will capture the interest of all readersfrom those fascinated by rats to those who cringeby explaining the delicate and sometimes volatile impacts humans and rats have had on each other over the centuries and into the modern age. Explores how rats and humans have lived together and interacted throughout history. Rats are intelligent and sociable animals. They have many similarities with us. Why is it then that the mere mention of the word "rat" sends shudders of horror through most of us?