In Prof Nicolelis’ first experiment, the encoder rat got a bigger reward if the decoder also made the right choice, leading to two-way neural collaboration between the two rats.

Scientists have engineered something close to a mind meld in a pair of lab rats, linking the animals' brains electronically so that they could work together to solve a puzzle. And this brain-to ...

As if that wasn't freaky enough, the brain-to-brain communication between the two rats was two-way and the encoder rat didn't get its full treat if the decoder rat made the wrong choice.

In another experiment designed to test if tactile, or touch-based information could be shared over the system, the rats were all trained to use their whiskers to judge the width of a hole in front ...

A similar test was conducted using an "encoder" rat in Brazil, paired with a "decoder" rat in Durham, N.C., via an Internet connection. The "rat mind-meld" experiment has met with some skepticism.