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Scientists have known for decades that male lab mice produce high-frequency sounds, undetectable by human ears, when they pick up the scent of a female mouse. This high-pitched babble is presumably for courtship, although scientists are not certain.

But it turns out those sounds are more complex and interesting than previously thought.

"It soon became . . . apparent that these vocalizations were not random twitterings but songs," said researcher Timothy Holy. "There was a pattern to them. They sounded a lot like bird songs."

To make their point, the researchers provided audio recordings of the sounds, which have been modified for human ears. The recordings do indeed sound birdlike.

The findings by the researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are published online Tuesday in the journal Public Library of Science Biology.

If the analysis by the researchers is confirmed, mice can be added to the short list of creatures that sing in the presence of the opposite sex, including songbirds, humpback whales, porpoises, insects and, possibly, bats.

"There was joy in this discovery," Holy said. "We didn't expect it."

The finding opens the possibility of using mice to study and develop treatments for autism and other communication disorders, said Holy, the lead author and assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at the university's medical school.

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
This high-pitched babble is presumably for courtship, although scientists are not certain.

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If the analysis by the researchers is confirmed, mice can be added to the short list of creatures that sing in the presence of the opposite sex, including songbirds, humpback whales, porpoises, insects and

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. . . actually, that was meant somewhat flippantly, and maybe to note that the assumption that it's only the opposite sex leaves out certain groups, as usual. But actually, it could be scientifically significant. If they're not sure it's a courtship thing, finding out whether mice known to be gay serenade their own sex might help establish that.

[ 02 November 2005: Message edited by: Rufus Polson ]

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Originally posted by Rufus Polson:
If they're not sure it's a courtship thing, finding out whether mice known to be gay serenade their own sex might help establish that.

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Originally posted by RealityBites:

I know. Why else did you think I brought up Clay Aiken?

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Originally posted by Rufus Polson:
So do gay mice serenade the same sex?

...If they're not sure it's a courtship thing, finding out whether mice known to be gay serenade their own sex might help establish that.

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Originally posted by Willowdale Wizard:
it's kind of weird that mice and humpback whales have something in common.

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