Ah, rats! Researchers say some other critter likely created Chicago's 'rat hole' sidewalk landmark

Ah rats! Researchers have debunked the origin of Chicago’s so-called “rat hole,” concluding that another creature was likely responsible for creating the grisly sidewalk monument. The rat hole was a full-body print of a small creature running through wet cement in the Roscoe Village neighborhood 20 or 30 years ago. The print looked a lot like a rat, hence its namesake. It became a tourist attraction in 2024 after comedian Winslow Dumaine tweeted about its existence. Someone filled it in later that year, but the city kept the slab. A team of researchers published a study Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters, saying they measured the print and concluded that a squirrel or muskrat — not a rat — likely created it.