Mice in the Dark: Sight vs. Smell
Hard
Can mice find food in total darkness just as fast as in the light? Mice are known for their strong sense of smell. This project tests whether they rely more on sight or smell to navigate.
You build a cardboard maze and train 10 mice to find a sunflower seed at the end. After nine days of practice, you cover the maze to block all light. You then time each mouse in darkness and compare the results.
The mice solved the dark maze just as quickly. This suggests they depend more on smell than sight.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that a mouse will be able to find its way through a maze more quickly by using its sense of sight rather than its sense of smell.
Method & Materials
You will make a maze out of cardboard, glue and masking tape, and place a sunflower seed at the end. Then, you will drop the mice at the start of the maze one at a time and time how long it takes for them to find the food.
You will need 10 mice, a packet of sunflower seeds, cardboard or old carton boxes, scissors, masking tape, glue, a stopwatch, and a meter-length ruler.
Results
The results showed that covering the maze with a cardboard did not affect how quickly the mice were able to locate the food. This suggests that mice are better at navigating a maze with their sense of smell rather than their sense of sight.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it shows how mice are able to use their sense of smell to find their way through a maze, even in darkness.
Also Consider
Consider repeating the experiment with hamsters instead of mice, or using different types of food like corn, cheese or nuts.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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