Neither rat species is native to North America, said Buckley, of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Scientists used to think that brown rats arrived around 1776.

Neither rat species is native to North America, said Buckley, of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Scientists used to think that brown rats arrived around 1776.

Brown rats, also known as common or street rats, are a widespread species of rat found around the world, but are believed to have originated in northern China and Mongolia.

Neither rat species is native to North America, said Buckley, of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Scientists used to think that brown rats arrived around 1776.

Shipping networks across the Atlantic “essentially functioned as rat superhighways,” and one species quickly took over. Here’s how the lowly brown rat came to lead the pack.

Brown rats are the undisputed winners of the real rat race. New research suggests that they crawled off ships arriving in North America earlier than previously thought and out-competed rodent ...

Neither rat species is native to North America, said Buckley, of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Scientists used to think that brown rats arrived around 1776.