Rats are helping humans detect landmines

Many see rats and mice as just pests who need to be gotten rid of, as they eat our food and spread disease. Despite the bad reputation, they are known for their keen sense of smell and their high level of trainability. They were found to be very efficient landmine detectors, and were cheaper than dogs and more effective than metal detectors. These HeroRats, as they are known, are trained to sniff and signal the presence of old landmines in Africa, which people then dig and neutralize, thereby making the land usable again, and ensuring that no humans and animals are killed or injured. They are even trained to detect tuberculosis in humans!