As it turns out, the “Chicago Rat Hole” may have been caused by a different animal.
If you’re not caught up on your Windy City lore, the Chicago Rat Hole refers to an indent in a local sidewalk that’s shaped like a rodent. It also became known as “Splatatouille” and is currently housed in the Chicago City Hall-County Building following its removal in April 2024.
A new study published by Royal Society posits that the Chicago Rat Hole was formed not by a rat, but by a squirrel.
In fact, the study claims that there’s a 98.67% likelihood that a squirrel is the culprit. It further narrows it down to a 50.67% likelihood that an eastern grey squirrel created the Chicago Rat Hole, versus a 48% likelihood it was a fox squirrel.
“While we acknowledge the playful spirit of this investigation, our broader aim is to highlight that scientific inquiry begins with curiosity and observation: qualities that are not exclusive to professional scientists, but accessible to anyone with an interest in understanding the natural world,” the study reads.
Well, that’s one mystery solved.