Scientists tag NYC rats with RFID microchips to study their behavior and potential for transmitting disease

For the first time, researchers are able to study the daily activity of some of the most abundant, most dangerous and secretive, and least known denizens of the world's great cities: rats. In the open-access journal Frontiers in Public Health, scientists present a novel, cheap, and safe method to tag city rats with RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) microchips and track their individual movements over several months. The new method, tried and tested on New York City rats - nicknamed "Ghosts of Gotham" because of their elusiveness - is expected to yield a wealth of data on the behavior of city rats and their potential for transmitting disease.