New Yorkers love to say this city never sleeps, but apparently neither do its rats. A new preprint field study has revealed that the city’s estimated three million rodents aren’t just freeloading on our garbage; they’re running their own nocturnal society, complete with ultrasonic chatter that humans can’t hear. Think of it as Rat Club, except the first rule is: Only rats are invited.
The research team, made up of neuroscientists Emily Mackevicius, Ralph Peterson, Ahmed El Hady and machine-learning specialist Dmitry Batenkov, set up camp at three classic New York City haunts: a park, a subway platform and a sidewalk. Using thermal cameras and specialized microphones, they recorded the rodents moving like glowing phantoms across the pavement while squeaking away at frequencies far above human hearing. The real kicker? When an ambulance screamed by, the rats screamed louder. As Mackevicius put it: “They’re just kind of screaming to each other, but we just don’t hear it.”
This chatter isn’t just small squeaks about leftover pizza crusts. Peterson, who has studied rodent vocalizations, says the sheer volume suggests purpose. Why talk so much if it doesn’t matter? The study even observed social dynamics: juvenile rats venturing out in clumsy packs of 20, while big, battle-hardened solo rats—nicknamed “Moby Dicks” by exterminators—stalked the streets with the calm confidence of seasoned bouncers…