One Chicago research team has squirrel on the brain. Their new research project focuses on how the little rodents survive in the city.

The team had captured and tagged a number of squirrels with collars with cameras to see how they survive and why they do the things they do.

A squirrel managed to escape burns after falling down a chimney and into a lit fireplace at a Two Rivers home, but died later of smoke inhalation. According to Two Rivers Assistant Fire Chief Gary Shavlik, the incident happened Monday night, when the squirrel apparently got curious about the chimney and landed directly in fire burning in the fireplace.

The squirrel escaped the fire and ran around the house, Shavlik told the Herald Times.

Incidents of letter carrier being attacked by household pets may not be so rare, but conflict with a squirrel may sound a bit offbeat.

Barb Dougherty, a 30-year-old Postal Service employee, said she was attacked and bitten Monday by a squirrel while delivering mail in Oil City, about 75 miles north of Pittsburgh.

An opera singer riding his bike to a rehearsal of a new opera last month ended up in a hospital instead of the Helsinki Opera House after a squirrel jumped into his bicycle spokes.

Esa Ruuttunen suffered a concussion and a broken nose from the accident. The squirrel did not survive.

A Finnish opera singer misses rehearsal after a squirrel runs into his bicycle wheel, causing him to fall and break his nose.

Esa Ruuttunen was on his way to the Helsinki Opera House when the squirrel ran into his spokes.

He was knocked out and ended up with a concussion.