Brett Ryder
BARELY a month goes by without a new tale of animals behaving brightly. There are orangutans that craft , and chimps that employ stones as hammers with a technique that is . In Bali, long-tailed macaques steal from tourists and then exchange their swag for edible rewards – and they have learned to as if they appreciate the basic principles of economics. Hyenas employ the art of deception, with low-status individuals that scares their rivals away from a tasty carcass. , apparently to entertain visitors. , , and let’s not forget the golfing bees.
Superficially, these behaviours certainly seem smart. But what do they really reveal about animal intelligence? The human mind is remarkable for its innovation and problem-solving across many different domains. Do other animals have the same sort of brains, or are their headline-grabbing antics no more than party tricks that require little complex reasoning?
Scientists have begun devising elaborate tests to tackle this question. Like our own IQ tests, they allow researchers to assess the capacity of an animal’s mind, compare the mental abilities of different individuals and identify factors that lead to superior performance. The findings have been a revelation. They provide some fascinating insights into the anatomy of intelligence. And they may even shed light on the evolutionary origins of our own minds.
