Scientists announced on July 24 that they have discovered the remains of the largest rat that ever lived in a cave in Southeast Asia's East Timor.  Carbon dating shows that the animal lived as recently as 1,000 years ago.  The most likely cause of its demise is overclearing of the rain forest for agricultural projects, although rat is still a staple of the human diet in this part of the world, and a rat that's larger than a house cat would have been a welcome treat to hunters.  It's believed that this creature weighed about fourteen pounds, compared to the average modern house rat which weighs around five ounces.  The photo shows the jaw of this giant rat compared to the skull of an average modern rat.