Art & Science of the Naked Mole-Rat
Channel: joz freeman
Date: 2018-01-03

Short film about RAT.systems, a project about tracking naked mole-rats for artistic and scientific study. By Julie Freeman and Chris Faulkes, with Maricn Ignac, Lorna Ellen Faulkes, Sonia Blair.

Rodent Activity Transmissions* (RAT) systems uses real-time data to allow us a peek into the lives of a colony of naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber).

Naked mole-rats are unique among mammals, with unusual features that result from extreme adaptations to living underground. They have become an important model system for healthy aging, they resist cancer, they are studied to help us understand how complex societies evolve and are maintained, and even for how social environment can affect fertility. Studying an animal with what is at first glance a bizarre lifestyle, can inform us about more general biological principles of wide importance to us and other species.

In addition to giving us a deeper understanding of animal behaviour through real-time tracking and data collection, we are exploring the naked mole-rat data through visualisation, sound, animation, and kinetic sculpture.

Supported by Queen Mary University of London and Arts Council England.

More at http://rat.systems

Download the app!
http://bit.ly/ratsystems   - AppStore (Apple)
http://bit.ly/playRATsystems - PlayStore (Android)