Can a mouse’s body temperature predict its activity levels? Do males and females exhibit different patterns? What role does the estrus cycle play? Explore how tiny fluctuations in temperature reveal hidden insights about mouse behavior.
This project presents interactive visualizations that explore minute-level fluctuations in core body temperature and activity levels of mice over a 14-day period. The dataset captures daily rhythms, gender differences, and estrus cycle variations, providing a detailed view of biological and behavioral patterns.
Understanding circadian rhythms and physiological fluctuations in mice provides insights into broader biological processes, such as hormonal cycles and thermoregulation. By visualizing these patterns, we aim to uncover how activity and temperature vary across time, between male and female mice, and during key reproductive phases such as estrus.
The dataset consists of four sheets converted into CSV format for efficient processing. Using D3.js, we construct interactive time-series plots to observe minute-by-minute fluctuations, scatter plots to examine correlations, and heatmaps to highlight periodic activity bursts. Light cycles (12-hour on/off) and estrus phases (every 4 days) are incorporated into the visualizations to provide additional context for behavioral patterns.
You can find the data at: Mouse Data.xlsx (Note: Use UCSD email ID to access the link.)
Watch this video to get an overview of the project, how it works, and the insights we’ve uncovered.