Scientists from the University of Southern California found that mice are able to help other members of their species that have lost consciousness, showing behavior reminiscent of first aid.
In the experiment, one mouse was under anesthesia, while another tried to “revive” it. It did so through sniffing, licking, and even pulling the tongue out of the other mouse’s mouth. In more than half of the cases, these actions led to the mouse regaining consciousness.
Help was especially frequent between familiar individuals. The researchers attribute this behavior to oxytocin, a hormone associated with social bonding.
