French photographer Augustin Lignier successfully trained two rats to take selfies! He rewarded the rodents with sugar each time they snapped a picture with a button-operated camera. Their images were then displayed on a screen—though Lignier doesn’t think the rats recognized themselves.

Eventually, treats were dispensed at random. After that, the rats started pushing the button even more frequently. They also lost interest in the sugar. Just by interacting with the system, “their brains were creating the pleasure reward,” says Lignier. Lignier compares the rats’ actions to people constantly checking for likes and follows on social media. This triggers our brains to release dopamine, a chemical messenger that stimulates pleasurable feelings. The same might be true for the rats!