After sniffing the wine, the rat had to push a specific lever with its nose. If it chose the correct one, it received food, whereas an incorrect choice meant getting no treat. Training continued until the rats selected the correct lever in 80 percent of trials across three consecutive sessions. They were then returned to the chamber and presented with a mix of wines they had trained with and new ones. They achieved a 94 percent accuracy rate with the familiar wines and 65 percent with new wines of the same varieties.
A non-human mammal is capable of distinguishing between complex scent categories. This discovery aligns with the idea that many such animals recognize odors just as humans do, or even better. Researchers drew this conclusion, adding the amusing suggestion that rats could work as elite sommeliers in restaurants.
Cover photo: Oxana Golubets on Unsplash