New Caledonian Crows Are Even Smarter and Scarier Than We Thought

New Caledonian Crows Are Even Smarter and Scarier Than We Thought

Peter Hess

As humans, we love to think we have a monopoly on brain power. But the more we learn about the culture and intellectual capacity displayed by our super freaking intelligent animal relatives like chimps, dolphins, and birds, the less unique human intelligence starts to appear. Crows, in particular, are smart as heck: They make tools out of sticks, and even spontaneously make tools without being taught. New research could deepen this picture even more, as researchers have found that crows may possess mental capabilities that we didn’t think were possible.

In a 2018 paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, a team of researchers showed evidence that New Caledonian crows, which have been observed making several types of tools out of sticks, may be able to build tools from memory — even if they have only seen the tool itself and haven’t ever seen the tool being constructed. This suggests that crows can form a “mental template” of tools based on other crows’ tools and their own past tools, which would explain why New Caledonian crows’ tools could have improved over time.

Ah sorry meant to put this in General Consciousness Science

[Laird]

I've moved it there for you.

New Caledonian Crows Are Even Smarter and Scarier Than We Thought

Peter Hess

I'm going to be picky here, Sci, sorry but I don't think that article is presented in a scientific manner.

As humans, we love   to think we have a monopoly on brain power. But the more we learn about the culture and intellectual capacity displayed by our super freaking intelligent animal relatives like chimps, dolphins, and birds, the less unique human intelligence starts to appear. Crows, in particular, are smart as heck:

We love (as humans) to think we have a monopoly on brain power. 

Do we, though ? I don't think many of us actually do. And what is a monopoly on brain power?  Does he mean to say we think (or he thinks we think) we have superior brains ? If so, why didn't he say that ?  

But the more we learn about the culture and intellectual capacity displayed by our super freaking intelligent animal relatives

Super freaking ? What's with the emotional hyperbole ? And are dolphins and birds actually our relatives. Isn't there 600 million years between the origin of birds and mammals even if you accept the premise? 

Crows, in particular, are smart as heck:

Just how smart is heck on the exclamation scale ?     

Peter is a writer living in New York. He is preoccupied with Star Wars and memes,

I think he ought to be more preoccupied with working on his scientific writing, Sci. Not having a go at you, though.

I'm going to be picky here, Sci, sorry but I don't think that article is presented in a scientific manner.

As humans, we love   to think we have a monopoly on brain power. But the more we learn about the culture and intellectual capacity displayed by our super freaking intelligent animal relatives like chimps, dolphins, and birds, the less unique human intelligence starts to appear. Crows, in particular, are smart as heck:

We love (as humans) to think we have a monopoly on brain power. 

Do we, though ? I don't think many of us actually do. And what is a monopoly on brain power?  Does he mean to say we think (or he thinks we think) we have superior brains ? If so, why didn't he say that ?  

But the more we learn about the culture and intellectual capacity displayed by our super freaking intelligent animal relatives

Super freaking ? What's with the emotional hyperbole ? And are dolphins and birds actually our relatives. Isn't there 600 million years between the origin of birds and mammals even if you accept the premise? 

Crows, in particular, are smart as heck:

Just how smart is heck on the exclamation scale ?     

Peter is a writer living in New York. He is preoccupied with Star Wars and memes,

I think he ought to be more preoccupied with working on his scientific writing, Sci. Not having a go at you, though.

Heh, I'd agree a lot of pop-sci has been taken over by people clearly hoping someone notices their seeming cleverness and they get to show their secret Hollywood script. :-)

I just found the studies themselves of interest, challenging the idea that only humans are capable of rational thinking.