How scientists discovered a math equation in rat whiskers

Rats have up to 70 whiskers on their faces, varying hugely in size, and shape. Almost every mammal possesses whiskers, but these rodents are what we call “whisker specialists,” meaning they have super-sensitive, moveable hairs that they use to explore and sense their surroundings. Rat whiskers can vary hugely. In our recent research, my colleagues and I analyzed 523 whiskers from 15 rats and found that each whisker had a different length and shape. We wanted to investigate more about the shape of these hairs as a first step in understanding what rats feel through their whiskers. We found that…

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