A cultural and social history of the rat, examining how one creature achieved total world domination and has inspired such love and loathing, fear and fascination.  Rats are more closely entwined with humans than any other animal, but they remain the most misunderstood of all species. 

In this illustrated talk, Joe Shute explores our complex and often contradictory relationship with the rat. He visits some of the most rodent-infested cities on earth to unpick the myths we tell ourselves about rats and investigate the unexplored secrets of their own extraordinary lives.  He examines the way in which rats have shaped human history and explores the hidden world they inhabit and their role in natural ecosystems.  Through his own pet rats, he discovers the close emotional bonds they form with humans when given the chance.

Sheffield based Joe Shute is an author and journalist with a passion for the natural world. He writes features for The Daily Telegraph and is the newspaper’s long-standing Saturday Weather Watch columnist. His books include Forecast: A Diary of the Lost Seasons and A Shadow Above: The Fall and Rise of the Raven.