Stories of clever animals abound, from pigs playing video games to monkeys trading mobile phones – now tests reveal that they don't merely act on instinct but can think flexibly, like us
Not only humans can use language to impart abstract concepts. Crows have been observed sharing information about danger to crows who are not present to witness the danger themselves, but then successfully recognize it in the future. They’ve also been found to be able to create tools they have not seen before in order to solve problems.
Koko the gorilla was also famous for her abstract thinking. Others species include dolphins and elephants, and obviously we haven’t tested most species out there.
Not only humans can use language to impart abstract concepts. Crows have been observed sharing information about danger to crows who are not present to witness the danger themselves, but then successfully recognize it in the future. They’ve also been found to be able to create tools they have not seen before in order to solve problems.
Koko the gorilla was also famous for her abstract thinking. Others species include dolphins and elephants, and obviously we haven’t tested most species out there.
Songbirds fascinate me. I hope we can decode some crow oral history one day.