Here's a hint. They're looking pretty sheepish about it. See http://tinyurl.com/3h7yfrc
Surprised? Me too, and apparently even the researchers involved. And while we're on the subject of animal intelligence, I'd like to strongly recommend a PBS (public TV, USA) video called "How Smart Are Animals?" from the PBS series Nova Science Now. It ran a few months ago, but thanks to the miracle of DVR, I've only just finished watching it . It's great! It consists of a series of segments, each of a handy length for the classroom, of research on an unusual range of animals, including dogs, tame (sort-of) wolves, chimpanzees, dolphins, cuttlefish, squid, octopuses, and grey parrots (could be more but that's enough, isn't it?). The dog segment features Chaser, the amazing canine mnemonist, a border collie. He demonstrates an astonishing ability to correctly retrieve a new object with a new name (i.e. the dog must locate a new object whose name he hasn't heard before). We've discussed Chaser before (Mind of a mnemonist (canine version, Jan 9/11). [See http://tinyurl.com/2f3u9me and http://tinyurl.com/2vew4so ]. But this Nova segment is even better. You might also take a look at Chaser's website at http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/story.aspx?id=446728 One of the invertebrates (perhaps the cuttlefish) demonstrates an astounding ability to camouflage itself in little more than an eyeblink. They present it as a kind of animal intelligence (debatable that, but this has to be seen to believed). The grey parrot bit, of course, is mainly Alex, a tribute to him and a retrospective of Irene Pepperberg's work. Alex tragically died recently, probably the only parrot to ever have his obituary in _The Economist_ (http://www.economist.com/node/9828615 ). The segment also gives us a look at Pepperberg's new pupils. [Probably?!!!] How can you see the programme? The good news. It's available here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/how-smart-are-animals.html The bad: Only if you're in the USA. I was blocked in Canada, and presumably the same holds in the rest of the world. Give PBS some money. Please! They promise not to diss Tea Baggers ever again. Stephen -------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada e-mail: sblack at ubishops.ca --------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=10073 or send a blank email to leave-10073-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
