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Oni2:Slaves of War/Neo-Biology: Difference between revisions
adding "Animals minds" section
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*[[wp:Toxoplasma_gondii|Toxoplasma]] is a famous protozoan which likes to live inside cats. How does it get inside the cat? Often by infecting rats. The infected rat is suddenly drawn to the scent of cats rather than repelled by it. This is intriguing because the rat has not become fearless or danger-seeking in general; it just acquires a sudden urge to befriend a cat, who finds it to be a nice snack. Toxoplasma then reproduces harmlessly inside the cat, and its ovocytes end up in the litter box. | *[[wp:Toxoplasma_gondii|Toxoplasma]] is a famous protozoan which likes to live inside cats. How does it get inside the cat? Often by infecting rats. The infected rat is suddenly drawn to the scent of cats rather than repelled by it. This is intriguing because the rat has not become fearless or danger-seeking in general; it just acquires a sudden urge to befriend a cat, who finds it to be a nice snack. Toxoplasma then reproduces harmlessly inside the cat, and its ovocytes end up in the litter box. | ||
:Because many people own cats, scientists estimate that up to a third of the world's people may be infected with toxoplasma. This is rather interesting, as toxoplasmosis is linked to auto accidents (through slowed reflexes), and miscarriages. It may be partially responsible for [http://scienceblogs.com/loom/2006/08/01/a_nation_of_cowards_blame_the.php differing social psychologies] around the world. It also may or may not be a cause of brain cancer and schizophrenia. Don't panic, it's not too hard [[wp:Toxoplasmosis#Pregnancy_precautions|to avoid infection]]; just clean the litter box every day, wash your hands after, and keep your cat inside so it can't eat rats! This public service announcement brought to you by your friendly neighborhood wiki. | :Because many people own cats, scientists estimate that up to a third of the world's people may be infected with toxoplasma. This is rather interesting, as toxoplasmosis is linked to auto accidents (through slowed reflexes), and miscarriages. It may be partially responsible for [http://scienceblogs.com/loom/2006/08/01/a_nation_of_cowards_blame_the.php differing social psychologies] around the world. It also may or may not be a cause of brain cancer and schizophrenia. Don't panic, it's not too hard [[wp:Toxoplasmosis#Pregnancy_precautions|to avoid infection]]; just clean the litter box every day, wash your hands after, and keep your cat inside so it can't eat rats! This public service announcement brought to you by your friendly neighborhood wiki. | ||
==Animal minds== | |||
===Strange behaviors=== | |||
*Ant [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA37cb10WMU death spirals]. | |||
*[http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/01_04/sheepcircle_468x336.jpg Sheep] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=998_wWfzBvA circles]. | |||
*[http://www.livescience.com/40132-underwater-mystery-circles.html Fish circles]. | |||
*Animals riding other animals: [http://www.grindtv.com/wildlife/rare-photo-shows-crow-riding-atop-a-flying-bald-eagle crow on eagle], meerkat on rhino.... | |||
*There are billions of [http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/06/01/128389587/look-up-the-billion-bug-highway-you-cant-see bugs in the sky] at any given time. This phenomenon is known as a [[wp:Flyway|flyway]]. Also see [http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/12/researchers-use-radar-to-track-3-5-trillion-insects-migrating-over-england/ this Ars Technica article]. | |||
===Animal intelligence=== | |||
*Elephants can [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/11/121102-korean-speaking-elephant-talk-human-science-weird-animals/ vocalize human words] by placing their trunks in their mouths; they show self-awareness, capacity for cooperative problem-solving, and can understand human speech; they also have death rituals, a practice only observed in ''Homo sapiens''; their brains may work similarly to ours, and yet theirs have more convolutions; they may be better at counting than us, they have far better memories, and like humans, they're born with brains much heavier than most animals and as a lower of a percentage of their adult size (meaning that the brain will grow significantly into adulthood). They also show compassion towards strange elephants, humans and other animals. | |||
*At least [http://www.today.com/video/today/49579010#49579010 one whale] has attempted to vocalize human speech as well. | |||
*There is evidence that animals learn each other's calls; it’s not instinctual. | |||
*[http://digitaljournal.com/article/319493 Inter-species play] ([http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/rare-interspecies-play-observed-between-dolphins-and-whales.html 2nd article]). This is a first-time observation; can animals that play together work together? Also, see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7291501.stm this remarkable story] of a dolphin helping beached whales. | |||
*"One thing that remains is our language. But amazingly complex behaviours - culture, tool use, social interaction - we see all of this in the animal kingdom." ([http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9417000/9417308.stm BBC]) | |||
*“Both types of fish, grouper and coral trout, are known for hunting cooperatively with other kinds of animals. Whereas the [http://www.livescience.com/9415-amazing-species-cooperate-hunt.html grouper hunts with giant moray eels] and a fish called the Napoleon wrasse, coral trout partner up with octopuses to snag prey. A study published last week in the journal Nature Communications found that the fish are able to "point" their heads toward prey, to help out their hunting buddies.” ([http://news.yahoo.com/fish-sign-language-help-hunting-buddies-152909150.html Yahoo! News]) | |||
*What if language was granted by some means? How would it add to their capacity for complex behavior or cooperative learning? Some animals already pass tool use on to subsequent generations; see the "sponge dolphins" and [http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9125000/9125227.stm New Caledonian crows]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8388000/8388073.stm Brown-necked ravens] who are not even part of a social group can spontaneously hunt a lizard using self-assigned roles. Individual New Caledonian crows and rooks can [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8631486.stm solve puzzles] involving multiple steps or water displacement. Of course, animals can also be raised together and think of themselves as the same kind — see [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igQRWZJklIo tiger + dog], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnZSTkycovg dog + deer], and [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4152447.stm hippo + tortoise]. Also see a [http://www.earthlings.org/kin/kinship.html crow raising a cat] and a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dug70HBEgaM hawk feeding a dog]. ([http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/animal-odd-couples/full-episode/8009/ PBS - Animal Odd Couples]) | |||
*Can animals commit suicide? See [http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=m7caAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iUkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=576,1832140&dq=animal-suicide this vague account] of a bear that did himself in — a [http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1973486,00.html fuller treatment] from Time. Two more accounts [http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/are-bears-purposely-committing-suicide-to-protest-the-horror-of-bile-f here] and [http://wherethebearwalks.blogspot.com/2010/04/bear-intelligence.html here]. | |||
*Psychology Today: [http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animals-and-us/201006/are-humans-the-only-animals-keep-pets Are Humans the Only Animals to Keep Pets?]. | |||
*[http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/dogs-use-subway-cat-takes-bus-and-other-adventures-in-animal-intelligence/ How smart] [http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/02/28/when-meeting-up-at-sea-bottlenose-dolphins-exchange-name-like-whistles/ are] [http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/who-needs-words-crows-you-wild-gorillas-alison-krauss/ animals], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GOb3nFpewM really]? Their language use shouldn’t be underestimated, seeing as even prairie dogs seem to possess a highly-specific way to describe threats. Exceptional individuals: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanzi Kanzi] ([http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/10022981.html 2nd article]), [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholla_the_painting_horse Cholla], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washoe_(chimpanzee) Washoe], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot) Alex], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%27kisi N'kisi], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_(gorilla) Koko]. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_use_by_animals tool use by animals]. | |||
*Dolphins play by making bubble rings, and whales can hunt using bubble nets. Green Herons [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7AyBLJy0jMc use bait] to catch fish. | |||
*How much do animals really understand? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opd6XhyV310&feature=related This (baby?) shark] grabs a morsel from a girl’s fingers without even scratching her. Dolphins [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn6kJJfNLVA&feature=related understand mirrors] at least as early as human children. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuHCiBqcWJU This cow] knows how to unlock a gate, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsA-a-9PNH4 this one] crosses roads politely, and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cy7gQ496vs this one] knows how to use a water pump. | |||
*Animals showing compassion and/or surprising comprehension towards humans: [http://old.post-gazette.com/neigh_west/20020409lulu0409p1.asp Pig saves owner], [http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/horse-rides-to-rescue-as-owner-attacked-in-field-by-raging-cow-1-913741 horse saves owner], rabbit saves owner, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1202941/Pictured-The-moment-Mila-brave-Beluga-whale-saved-stricken-divers-life-pushing-surface.html beluga whale saves diver], dolphins [http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21689083/ns/today-today_people/t/dolphins-save-surfer-becoming-sharks-bait/#.UIcnbYbUzt0 save a surfer] and [http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=51079184603 save a diver], [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1328806/Dick-Van-Dyke-Pod-porpoises-saved-I-fell-asleep-surfboard.html porpoises save Dick Van Dyke]. | |||
*Lionesses sometimes [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/12/world/5-little-oryxes-and-the-big-bad-lioness-of-kenya.html kidnap] baby versions of their prey. It's probably not an example of interspecies compassion, but rather a baiting tactic to draw in one of the parents, or maybe just an animal’s version of keeping extra meat in the freezer. | |||
*An orca has a [http://www.livescience.com/3284-scientist-snowball-fight-killer-whale.html snowball fight] with a human. | |||
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBqKTiEvGAM Honey badgers] are [http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/caught-in-the-act/videos/stoffel-dont-give-a/ surprisingly intelligent], able to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC0OJj3-YOI use tools to navigate] their environment. | |||
*See the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Navy_Marine_Mammal_Program U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program]. | |||
*Scientific American: [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=crows-show-off-social-skills Crows Show Off Social Skills] — A general review of bird intelligence, though it conspicuously leaves out New Caledonian crows. | |||
==To develop== | ==To develop== | ||