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A Hero Rat Sniffed Out Deadly Landmines and Saved Thousands of Lives By Sonny Haugen Published 18 seconds ago 3 min read Yanya/Shutterstock.com In This Article Quick Take About Magawa the Rat Why Rats? Quick Take The non-profit organization APOPO uses trained rats to detect landmines in Cambodia. Given the history of conflict in Cambodia, millions of landmines remain undetonated and pose a danger to the health and safety of those who live there. The rats are trained to smell out TNT, the chemical in the landmines that causes explosions. Animals aren’t just amazing pets or fun to look at; they are also incredibly intelligent and assist humans every day. We’re all aware of the importance of service animals like dogs and cats, but did you know that rats can help humans, too? One particularly dangerous way they help is by sniffing out landmines! In Cambodia, the African giant pouched rat Magawa helped sniff out more than 100 landmines, preventing accidental injuries and deaths. This Instagram post by @washingtonpost shares more about the story. Read here to learn more about how Magawa has been commemorated for his hard work. APOPO Mine Detection Rat Cambodia and handler Sokun APOPO rats work with handlers to detect the chemical TNT, allowing for safe excavation. ©© APOPO – Original Rats outperform metal detectors at humanity’s deadliest cleanup job Should countries invest more in animal-based detection methods like trained rats for landmine removal, or prioritize developing new technology? Animals like Magawa are more effective and should be the priority Technology solutions will eventually surpass animals and deserve more funding Both approaches should be equally funded for maximum impact This work is too important to rely on any single method About Magawa the Rat Magawa, the rat, had an extremely important job: helping to end a decades-long issue in Cambodia. That issue was landmines forgotten over time. Due to decades of conflict, including Cambodia’s civil war, the Khmer Rouge regime, and spillover from the Vietnam War, an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines and unexploded bombs were laid throughout the country, with little record of where they were placed. This has caused a major humanitarian problem for the country, with accidental detonations injuring and killing people even to this day. To help prevent further injury and death, nonprofit organizations like APOPO train rats to detect landmines, aiming to restore hope and peace to affected communities. Thanks to their efforts, rats like Magawa have been able to sniff out hundreds of landmines over the years. Magawa was born in 2013 in Tanzania and was deployed to Cambodia in 2016. He worked for about five years to sniff out the deadly explosives before passing away in 2022. Rats have an amazing sense of smell and can go through training to detect specific scents. Magawa was able to detect trinitrotoluene, or simply, the chemical TNT. If Magawa detected the chemical, he would scratch at the ground to alert professional handlers. Magawa is notable for being one of the most successful rats ever, having found over 100 landmines. Thanks to his efforts, more than 141,000 square meters—roughly 20 soccer fields—were cleared. Those living in the community can now live safely without fear of being hurt. To commemorate Magawa’s hard work, a statue honoring him was unveiled in the city of Siem Reap, Cambodia, in April. The statue honors his life-saving work and continues to raise awareness of the important role these rats play. Why Rats?\nYou may be wondering why rats are used for this job, especially when devices like metal detectors exist. There are a few reasons why using rats helps keep both humans and the rats themselves safe. Rats are lightweight, which helps to prevent accidental detonations. They can also cover a large area and are relatively easy to train for the job. Finally, they are extremely efficient at the job. Metal detectors might seem like a great method, but they can result in many false positives. Rats like Magawa can detect the explosive chemicals in landmines, something metal detectors cannot do. Because of this, the rats can ignore harmless metal objects in the ground and effectively detect real danger. Thanks to ongoing demining efforts, including the work of trained rats, Cambodia continues to make progress on reducing landmine casualties.\n\n## 2026 EcoCAR Challenge Targets Next Generation of Auto Engineers\n\nDOE-backed program pairs students with GM and Stellantis on real-world vehicle platforms.\n\nBy Natalie Neff\nPublished: Apr 13, 2026 3:40 PM EDT\nbookmarks\n\nSave Article\n\nshowcase of vehicles at the ecocar innovation challenge event\nEcoCAR Innovation Challenge\n\nThe US Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory have launched the latest round of their college-centered engineering program, the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge, with major support from General Motors, Stellantis, and MathWorks.\n\nThe 15th edition of the four-year competition will involve 20 universities from across North America to develop “next-generation mobility solutions” using technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.\n\nRelated Story\n\nNYC Hits Pause on Autonomous Vehicle Testing\n\nOrganizers say the program is designed to really push innovation in vehicle technology, but also to help build the future automotive workforce at a time when the industry is undergoing a rapid transformation.\n\n“The Innovation Challenge is an investment in the next era of the American workforce,” said Audrey Robertson, assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy. She also noted that the participation of GM and Stellantis marks the first time in more than 25 years that two major automakers have collaborated in the same competition.\n\nStellantis\n2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid.\nChevrolet\n2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV.\n\nEach automaker will sponsor a separate competition track, providing students with different engineering challenges and vehicle platforms that are designed to reflect real-world market choices. GM will supply the 2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV, while Stellantis will provide a 2026 Jeep Cherokee hybrid.\n\nStudent teams will be tasked with modifying and optimizing vehicle propulsion systems, including the design and integration of electric motors and high-voltage battery systems. The competition will also focus on software integration, controls, and overall system performance, which organizers says are skills that have become increasingly important in modern vehicle design and development.\n\nRelated Story\n\nNetherlands Clears Tesla’s FSD in European First\n\n“EcoCAR develops engineers who understand how to integrate software, controls, advanced powertrains, and the customer experience into a single system,” said Ken Morris, GM’s senior vice president of product programs, safety, and motorsports.\n\nStellantis echoed that sentiment, highlighting the program’s focus on real-world problem solving and cross-disciplinary collaboration.\n\nMathWorks will support students with industry-standard model-based design and simulation tools.\n\nAdditional sponsors include Caterpillar, Bosch, Siemens Digital Industries Software, and dSPACE.\n\nThe Universities Selected to Participate in the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge:\n\nCalifornia State University, Los Angeles—Stellantis Track\n\nColorado School of Mines—Stellantis Track\n\nEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University—General Motors Track\n\nGeorgia Institute of Technology—General Motors Track\n\nLouisiana State University—Stellantis Track\n\nMcMaster University—General Motors Track\n\nMississippi State University—General Motors Track\n\nThe Ohio State University—Stellantis Track\n\nPennsylvania State University—General Motors Track\n\nRose-Hulman Institute of Technology—Stellantis Track\n\nTexas A&M University—Stellantis Track\n\nThe University of Alabama—General Motors Track\n\nUniversity at Buffalo—Stellantis Track\n\nUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte—Stellantis Track\n\nUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville—Stellantis Track\n\nUniversity of Waterloo—Stellantis Track\n\nUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison—General Motors Track\n\nVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University—General Motors Track\n\nWestern Michigan University—General Motors Track\n\nWest Virginia University—General Motors Track” }