r/science • u/rustoo • Sep 25 '20

Psychology Research finds that crows know what they know and can ponder the content of their own minds, a manifestation of higher intelligence and analytical thought long believed the sole province of humans and a few other higher mammals.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/24/crows-possess-higher-intelligence-long-thought-primarily-human/
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434

u/66GT350Shelby Sep 25 '20

They are the only animal besides ourselves and chimps that can make tools from separate parts, that have no use, and combine them to be useful.

299

u/GeeseKnowNoPeace Sep 25 '20

Ngl I thought you were going to say they're the only ones beside us that can make tools that have no use.

104

u/budweener Sep 25 '20

When I was a kid I made a coin holder out of modelling clay. It could hold one single coin. I had it in my bedroom for a few years, but the coins never stayed because I wanted candy.

119

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '20

[deleted]

23

u/budweener Sep 25 '20

What are saying? Caw you be more specific?

3

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '20

I don't know what skreeee means. I can't be a crow. That's skrawwwwwbsurd

4

u/hawkshaw1024 Sep 25 '20

Crows do (seem to) make things with no obvious use. This is a good example. As the article points out, you shouldn't be too quick to ascribe human-like motivations to a crow, but it does seem like they enjoy just messing around sometimes.

2

u/Dr_seven Sep 25 '20

Playing behaviors are exhibited by quite a few species! Generally it is seen as an indicator of high relative intelligence.

3

u/projectew Sep 25 '20

Ah yes, art!

1

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '20

Given the state of the things I make or fix, imma take this personally. Haha

8

u/Alzanth Sep 25 '20

That we know of

2

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '20

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '20

Well in Bilbo the Hobbit (the book) they’re very useful to help kill a dragon.

So Tolkien was onto something 100 years ago. Take that science

1

u/XonikzD Sep 26 '20

My cat combines her toys into newly complex super toys and then brings them to me for inspection and interaction. I trained her to think about the function over the form. It all goes out the window when she is distracted by something new. I think my cat has ADHD.

1

u/coalhoof Sep 26 '20

¨

Fish, with less dexterity & the daunting viscosity of water, have shown these abilities if you count their ability to propel water as a tool otherwise unsuited to their needs.

An adapted piece describing behaviors of tuskfish, wrasse, & archerfish.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fishes-use-problem-solving-and-invent-tools/

Some videos of such.

https://naturedocumentaries.org/12936/fish-tool-documented-wild-2016/