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Bottlenose dolphins have been observed chattering while cooperating to solve a tricky puzzle – a feat that suggests they have a type of vocalisation dedicated to cooperating on problem solving.
Holli Eskelinen of Dolphins Plus research institute in Florida and her colleagues at the University of Southern Mississippi presented a group of six captive dolphins with a locked canister filled with food. The canister could only be opened by simultaneously pulling on a rope at either end.
The team conducted 24 canister trials, during which all six dolphins were present. Only two of the dolphins ever managed to crack the puzzle and get to the food.
The successful pair was prolific, though: in 20 of the trials, the same two adult males worked together to open the food canister in a matter of 30 seconds. In the other four trials, one of the dolphins managed to solve the problem on its own, but this was much trickier and took longer to execute.
But the real surprise came from recordings of the vocalisations the dolphins made during the experiment. The team found that when the dolphins worked together to open the canister, they made more vocalisations than they did while opening the canister on their own or when there was either no canister present or no interaction with the canister in the pool.
Hmm. Now all we need are studies that prove mice chittering decodes to discussing the meaning of 42.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Tuesday May 03 2016, @07:57PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday May 03 2016, @09:04PM
But if we were truly intelligent, we would have passed on WW1, WW2, religion (intelligent people wouldn't have even thought of the Spanish Inquisition, let alone EXPECTED it), the atomic bomb, NSA crap, etc....
Intelligence would have meant going to the moon WITH the Russians (and now with India/China) not as a race to see who was better, faster, stronger, but as a challenge to be met and surpassed. We could probably have lunar inhabitants, maybe be on Mars already...
We would have 'open' and shared medicine research again, instead of Corporations running things and locking away the data, and research meaning patents and dollars, even at the expense of people dying...
We wouldn't be killing bees (and therefore, possibly our food supply) for the sake of another dollar.
Yes, we have done some amazing things, here on Earth, but our 'true' intelligence is over-struck with greed, power struggles...
Just because you can manipulate your environment better than any other species, doesn't make you intelligent.
Yes, ranting on isn't very intelligent either, but my pants are too tight and my socks don't match.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Tuesday May 03 2016, @09:08PM
But if we were truly intelligent, we would have passed on WW1, WW2, religion (intelligent people wouldn't have even thought of the Spanish Inquisition, let alone EXPECTED it), the atomic bomb, NSA crap, etc....
What exactly is the objective scale you're using to measure the 'intelligent' responses of stimuli?
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday May 04 2016, @03:59PM
But if we were truly intelligent, we would have passed on WW1, WW2, religion...
The only intelligent take on religion is agnosticism, unless you've experienced God personally. Guess what? Many of us have. Saying "God can't possibly exist" is abjectly UNintelligent.
I find it hilarious that people are positive God doesn't exist because of lack of proof, but are equally positive that this isn't the only planet with life. Drake equation? It lacks WAY too many variables, including the most important one: what does it take for life to start? I tend to think there probably is life elsewhere, but am agnostic on the subject until someone can show how something dead can come alive. I was a religious agnostic until the car wreck and I stood at the gates of death and was turned away. Oh, and there shouldn't even be life here. [thebitbag.com]
BTW, the Spanish inquisitors were after wealth and power, as are many who claim to be Christians. "Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing" and know that some of those wolves stand on pulpits.
When masked police can stop you on the street and demand that you prove citizenship, your nation is a POLICE STATE
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday May 04 2016, @04:47PM
Yeah, sorry: my 'definition' of 'religion' is more of the 'organized religion' thinking: that the powers above try to keep the flock in their 'power' and keep the money coming in while they do 'unethical/unreligious' things, etc.
To me, if you believe in God, why do you need to join an organized religion. Just talk to Him/Her/Hir/Shim/It/Bob.
Why do you need someone else telling you how to think: think for yourself, commune with God yourself.
No, i don't believe in a 'God', but still try to live my life in the way the bible i grew up with wants me to: be a good person. Not because I have the fear of God, or the fear i won't go to a 'heaven', but because that's how i want to live, how i want others to know me, how i want my children to see me, blah, blah.
It's who i am: and others should believe what they believe... just don't push it on me.
I have seen to many people who talk the talk real well, but don't walk the walk as well as I do (yes, i'm looking especially at you, Steve!!!)
"I've been saved by Jesus: i just hope my wife doesn't find out about my girlfriend"...and "I'm Father So-and-so, let me teach your son how to get the 'spirit' inside him, heh-heh-heh"...shit like that...
Too many sheeple gather under the steeple, hoping they'll be saved if they sing loud enough and give the church enough money.
Bleh... rant...
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Thursday May 05 2016, @04:28PM
To me, if you believe in God, why do you need to join an organized religion
You don't if you're a Christian, but I don't know about other religions. I do know the Bhuddists in Thailand are required to be a priest for a year. But for Christians, Christ said "Whenever two or three are gathered in my name, I will be there." I personally won't attend any church where the preacher wears a necktie, the symbol of wealth and power. It's Satan's leash, symbol of everything Jesus warned about.
be a good person. Not because I have the fear of God, or the fear i won't go to a 'heaven', but because that's how i want to live, how i want others to know me, how i want my children to see me, blah, blah.
That's good. Another kind of church I refuse to enter is one where the preacher preaches fear, when the Bible actually says that for Christians, judgement day is payday. Your sins are forgiven and you are judged on the good you do in the world.
It's who i am: and others should believe what they believe... just don't push it on me.
Christians aren't supposed to push their religion, only plant seeds.
I have seen to many people who talk the talk real well, but don't walk the walk as well as I do (yes, i'm looking especially at you, Steve!!!)
I'm far from perfect, but I do try.
Too many sheeple gather under the steeple, hoping they'll be saved if they sing loud enough and give the church enough money.
I couldn't agree more. If they believe they should read the book.
When masked police can stop you on the street and demand that you prove citizenship, your nation is a POLICE STATE
(Score: 3, Funny) by maxwell demon on Wednesday May 04 2016, @03:31AM
For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.
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The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.