Studio 2 Extra: Philly researcher explores surprising link between rats and human history

Ever wondered what rats can teach us about human history and survival? Drexel Professor Jason Munshi-South talks to Studio 2 co-host Avi Wolfman-Arent about the extraordinary adaptability of rats and how their global spread parallels human migration, trade, and even colonialism. From surviving harsh winters in city sewers to shaping scientific research at the Wistar Institute housed at the University of Pennsylvania, rats have a story to tell about our shared past.

“Brown rats, and other species like this that live along with us, we call them commensal species, and that, in Latin, means ‘eating from the same table.’ So that tells us a little bit about what they’re doing. You know, we store food; they find it, they take advantage of it. We throw away food; they find it, they eat it,” Munshi-South said.

Munshi-South’s article “The evolutionary history of wild and domestic brown rats (Rattus norvegicus)” was published in the journal Science in September 2024.