Mice: The Unlikely Fitness Buffs

Did you know that some researchers are training mice to navigate mazes for a bit of a workout? It’s like their version of a gym, but without the sweaty mats. Makes me wonder what kind of protein powder a mouse would prefer — cheese-flavored, perhaps? I’m curious if anyone else finds this both hilarious and kind of endearing.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​‌‌‍​⁠‌‌‌‍‌​‍​‌​⁠‌‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍‌‍⁠​‌‍‍‌‌⁠​‍‌​‌‌‌‌⁠⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

Right? Imagining a mouse lifting tiny weights is just too cute! I wonder if they have gym buddies? :mouse_face::flexed_biceps:.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌​​⁠‌​‌⁠‌​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍⁠‌​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍‌​‍‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‍‌‌​‌‌‌​⁠​‌‍‍⁠​⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

It’s adorable to think of mice getting their workout in while chasing cheese; but if they need to bulk up, maybe a tiny dumbbell made of cheddar would do the trick. Has anyone got a good theory on why mice don’t have personal trainers yet?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​‌⁠‌‍​⁠‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠⁠​⁠​‌‌‌‌​​⁠‌⁠‌​‍‌​⁠​​‌​​‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌​‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌