These tiny rat backpacks are designed to help find victims in an earthquake

All too often rats get a bad rap. They can be vectors of disease, and cities like New York invest heavily in fighting them. But maybe it’s just that we’re not seeing their potential. Once trained, backpack-wearing African giant pouched rats can save lives. To assist in disaster recovery like an earthquake or building collapse, the nonprofit APOPO trains rats nicknamed “RescueRATs” to get into spaces humans or robots can’t access on their own. These rats wear cust...