What makes whiskers shake? Focus on "Current flow in vibrissa motor cortex can phase-lock with exploratory rhythmic whisking in rat".

Abstract

As one researcher once put it—“to beat the night with sticks” (D. Kleinfeld, personal communication)—might be only option for a small mammal to find its way through the dark holes it is living in. Rats employ such a strategy and explore their environment by fast rhythmic whisker movements.