Radiolab G: The World's Smartest Animal
14 snips
Feb 16, 2024 
Join Dan Engber, a science writer known for his critiques of animal intelligence research, and Laurel Braitman, an expert on sperm whale social structures. They are joined by Tracy Clayton, who boldly defends the smarts of crows, and comedian Jordan Mendoza, who champions slime molds. The lively discussion covers the emotional intelligence of animals, hilarious competitions between species like raccoons and quokkas, and thought-provoking insights into how we define intelligence. Prepare for an entertaining showdown to crown the world's smartest animal!
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Human-Centric Bias in Animal Intelligence Research
- Animal intelligence research often uses human-centric tests.
- This approach fails to consider animals' unique abilities and perspectives.
Crows' Resourcefulness
- Crows demonstrate resourcefulness, like in Aesop's fable.
- They drop stones into water to raise the level and access treats.
Crow Funerals
- Crows hold funerals, not for emotional reasons like humans.
- They gather around the deceased to investigate the cause of death and learn from it.
