Corvids (ravens, crows, etc) routinely demonstrate the
ability to learn to solve puzzles and use tools. Now researchers have taught bees how to get a reward by pulling a string. This knowledge is then passed on the other
bees and survives even as the first learners die. This opens some serious discussion about how
early hominids developed and passed on skills.
"What I like
about the work," Dr. Chittka said in a press release, "in addition to
the experimental and intellectual challenges and insights, is the sheer
absurdity of seeing bees solving a string-pulling puzzle. When lead author Sylvain Alem first showed me a bee
successfully pulling on the string, I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. And even now, looking at the videos still
makes me laugh."
The implications of the study could be transposed to the
history of human evolution, shedding light onto how humans may have developed
sophisticated forms of learning processes and cognitive skills throughout
generations, tracing back to early tool-using hominids.
So, the question is – if birds do it, bees do it and multitudes
of other creatures do similar things, how unique is human intelligence? Maybe not unique at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment