Self-recognition, it has been argued, is a hallmark of advanced cognitive abilities in animals. It was previously thought that only the usual suspects of higher cognition—some great apes, dolphins, and elephants—were able to recognize their own bodies in a mirror.
Psychologist Helmut Prior and colleagues have shown evidence of self-recognition in magpies—a species with a brain [...]
Continue reading about Mirror Self-recognition In Magpie Birds
Aristotle didn’t have a high opinion of the octopus. “The octopus is a stupid creature,” he wrote, “for it will approach a man’s hand if it be lowered in the water.” Twenty-four centuries later, this “stupid” creature is enjoying a much better reputation. YouTube is loaded with evidence of what some might call octopus intelligence. [...]
Continue reading about How Smart Is the Octopus? Bright enough to do the moving-rock trick.
Ever since Galileo argued that the sun was the center of the solar system, the idea of Earth as the universal hub has been the classic example of scientific arrogance. It’s certainly a foolproof example of the way humans consider themselves the rule by which everything else should be measured, but when we use it, [...]
