“Lab rats have feelings, too.
Given a choice between munching on a tasty chocolate treat or helping a fellow rat escape from a restraint, test rodents often preferred to liberate a pal in need, indicating that their empathy for others was reward enough.
The observation by University of Chicago neuroscientists, published on Thursday in the journal Science, suggests that even these primitive creatures are wired to show benevolence for their own kind.”
–AFP. “Rats Will Help Their Pals Get Free.” Discovery News. Dec. 9, 2011. Web.