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Rattus Norvegicus used to detect land mines.

Scientists in the US have developed a novel system for detecting landmines by training rats equipped with GPS and wireless rucksacks to sniff out explosives and map them for destruction.

A team of boffins at Bucknell University has trained the Rattus recruits to identify the chemicals that seep into the ground from land mines, and to circle around them. The rats wear palm-sized backpacks which contain GPS and a wireless transmitter, as well as an electronic reward system as an incentive.

The movement of the animals is tracked on a laptop, which uses an icon-based interface specially designed for people who may have little experience with computers. It maps out potential land mines, will produce a map for the site's clearance, and identify safe routes through the area.