Rats and mice might be enhancing their strong sense of smell by using sounds unable to be detected by the human ear.

Rats use ultrasonic sounds to enhance smell, opening doors to innovations in particle manipulation and sensory research.

Mice, who are prey for any number of other animals, rely mainly on their sense of smell to detect danger. They wouldn’t be the only creatures to have an unusual method of smelling, like snakes who use their forked tongues to enhance scents.

Scientists have debated the purpose of the ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by rodents since the discovery of these sounds in the 1950s. There's a wide research consensus suggesting USVs are a form of social communication,

A specialist in the biology of sound has made an incredible observation about the "Jedi" smell-powers of mice and rats. While depicted in cartoons and films as being squeaking little menaces, the sounds mice and rats make are actually ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) that occur at way higher frequencies than the human ear can detect.