Sparrow weavers in Africa appear to learn distinct building styles that reflect group traditions, research shows. It raises intriguing questions about avian intelligence.
Tag: Animal Cognition
How Science Went to the Dogs (and Cats)
Pets were once dismissed as trivial scientific subjects. Today, companion animal science is hot.
A Feline Scientist Explains Why Your Cat Might Actually Like You
Cats are more social than they are often given credit for. Can you help yours access its inner dog?
Can Parrots Converse? Polly Says That’s the Wrong Question.
In a cautious new paper, scientists tried to determine whether an interactive speech board might enrich the life of a parrot named Ellie.
Why Vultures Might Just Be the Smartest Birds Above the Block
The birds are widely reviled for their carrion-eating ways. But an evolutionary history of scavenging has forged a creative, cunning and wide-ranging mind.
Thailand’s Unemployed Elephants Are Back Home, Huge and Hungry
When the tourists who rode them disappeared from resort destinations, Thailand’s captive elephants, and their owners, went back to their birth villages, where finding enough food has been a struggle.
Is There an Ethical Way to Kill Rats?
Welcome to the rat trapper’s dilemma.
‘Consciousness’ in Robots Was Once Taboo. Now It’s the Last Word.
The pursuit of artificial awareness may be humankind’s next moonshot. But it comes with a host of difficult questions.
The Animal Translators
Scientists are using machine learning to eavesdrop on naked mole rats, fruit bats, crows and whales — and to communicate back.
Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation
Entrepreneurs are aiming to put A.I.-powered pet translation tools into our pockets.