Recent research has found that rats may have emotional empathy. An experiment offered the choice between a tempting chocolate treat, or rescuing a drowning rat, and they chose to rescue the drowning rat. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20150514-rats-save-mates-from-drowning
That’s not that recent. Well. Depending if you say 50-100 years are recent. In that case: all good.