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> Suppose an octopus stacked rocks in piles of prime numbers (not including unity). Would we care beyond possibly putting it on display in an aquarium? Conside
by watermoose 10y ago
> Suppose an octopus stacked rocks in piles of prime numbers (not including unity). Would we care beyond possibly putting it on display in an aquarium?
Considering that a lot of research is done on animal communication, I think that's a poor example.
- trentlott 10y agoIt would just be considered a mating ritual, with some reference to the fact that numerical artifacts in uncommunicative life aren't uncommon (sunflower spirals and Fibonacci). Then we'd start studying its anatomy for its prime calculator.
- CodeMage 10y ago> Then we'd start studying its anatomy for its prime calculator. Well, that explains all the stories about people being anally probed during alien abductions.
- uxcn 10y agoThis is a really good point. There has been a lot of research into this area lately, as well as animal intelligence in general. My point is still that life less intelligent than us has nothing to communicate to us that we would care to respond to.