But here are five facts you didn't know about our furry, rodent friends.

但以下關於我們這些毛茸茸、齧齒類朋友的五個冷知識，你也許不知道。

Number one, New York City may have the biggest rat infestation in the world.

第一項，紐約市算是世界上鼠害最為嚴重的地區。

If you haven't seen the hilarious but horrifying videos of New York rats on YouTube,

若你沒看過 YouTube 上那些跟紐約老鼠有關，又好笑又可怕的影片的話，

you're gonna wanna check them out.

你最好趕緊上網看看。

In one of them, a person is asleep on a subway bench while a rat climbs up his leg and onto his lap.

在某部影片中，有個人坐在地鐵中的椅子上睡著了，然後有隻老鼠爬到他腿上。

NYC has declared a war on rats, and budgeted more than half a million to an anti-rat program.

紐約市已經向鼠患宣戰，並撥了超過五十萬美元的預算來實施滅鼠計劃。

Number two, rats can swim up the pipes into your toilet bowl.

第二項，老鼠能夠通過水管游到你家馬桶。

It's a rare occurrence, but a frightening reality in towns with older sewage systems.

雖然鮮少發生，但在汙水系統較為老舊的城鎮裏的確會發生這樣的可怕事件。

Rats can get lost in the pipes and tread water for days, seeking a way out.

有時候老鼠會在水管中迷路，並持續游泳好幾天，努力找尋出口。

If you ever encounter one in your toilet, just know that it's very tired from swimming, and probably won't be aggressive.

所以如果你不小心在你家馬桶發現了一隻老鼠，想想牠游了這麼久勢必也很累了， 也許牠就不會太兇。

But still, I mean, don't touch that.

但是，聽我說，還是不要碰牠比較好。

Number three, there is a Rat Island off the coast of Alaska, and it used to be full of rats.

第三項，在阿拉斯加州岸外有個「老鼠島」。上面以前曾經全爬滿了老鼠。

In 1780, a Japanese boat shipwrecked there and a few rats who were on board quickly overran the native species, including some endangered birds, like the bald eagle.

1780 年，一艘來自日本的船隻觸礁，住在船上幾隻老鼠游到島上迅速繁殖，危害了島上的原有物種， 包括瀕危的鳥類，例如禿鷹。

But in 2010, the US Fish and Wildlife Service eradicated the rats on Rat Island.

到了 2010 年，美國魚類及野生動物管理局根除了「老鼠島」上的所有的老鼠。

So now the name is just ironic, and very cool.

所以現在「老鼠島」這個稱呼就純屬諷刺意味，但同時也是個很酷的名稱。

Number four, a rat's front teeth can grow five inches in a year.

第四項，老鼠的門牙一年可以長出五英吋。

That's why they're always gnawing on things, to grind them down.

這也是為什麼牠們總是在咬東西，因為要磨牙。

The teeth can grow fast or slow, depending on the rat's diet.

每隻老鼠不同的飲食習慣，也會影響牙齒成長快慢。

And rats don't get cavities because they just get worn away as the teeth grow.

而且老鼠不會蛀牙。因為隨著牙齒長長，蛀牙也會慢慢被磨掉。

Number five, scientists say that rats can laugh and they can dream.

第五項，科學家說老鼠會笑，還會做夢。

Dr. Jaak Panksepp from Washington State University says that rats emit a high frequency chirp when they play together, or when a hand tickles them.

華盛頓州立大學的 Jaak Panksepp 教授說，當老鼠玩在一塊時會發出高頻率的唧唧聲，被搔癢的時候也會發出同樣的聲音。

And at MIT, scientists say that their lab rats were dreaming of running a maze.

麻省理工學院的科學家們說，他們實驗室裡的老鼠曾夢到自己在跑迷宮。

They recognized the same brain wave activity in sleeping rats that occurred in wakeful rats that are running a maze.

科學家對這些睡夢中的老鼠進行了一番腦波觀測，發現牠們的腦波和清醒著跑迷宮的老鼠的腦波是一模一樣的。

Have you ever seen a rat in your toilet bowl?

你曾在你家馬桶內看過老鼠嗎?

Tell us your story in the comments.

請在下方留言中和我們分享你的故事。

And don't forget to subscribe to Animalist.

別忘了訂閱 Animalist。

And if you're still craving knowledge of new stuff, head over to "Life Noggin",

若你對其他新鮮事也有興趣的話，也可以留意「Life Noggin」頻道。

a show that educates you on pop culture, science, art, and history.

在那裡，你可以學習很多關於流行文化、科學、藝術和歷史的知識。

New episodes every Monday.

我們會固定在每週一更新影片。