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Nah. From the study[1]: "After reaching a criterion of ≥ 80% accuracy, bees demonstrated the learned concept of numerically less when presented with the numbe
by pharrington 8y ago
Nah.
From the study[1]:
"After reaching a criterion of ≥ 80% accuracy, bees demonstrated the learned concept of numerically less when presented with the numbers two to five(73.8 ± 1.9%; z score = 10.18, P <0.001). When presented with the unfamiliar numbers of one versus zero, bees chose the lower number of zero (63.0 ± 2.9%; z score = 4.23, P < 0.001; Fig. 1D), showing an understanding that an empty set is lower than one, which is challenging for some other animals."
[1]http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1124 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1124
- RunawayGalaxy 8y agoThey didn't choose the lower number zero. They chose the lower quantity zero. It's not the same.
- microwavecamera 8y agoBees communicate with each other to find nectar. They can let the other bees in the nest know what direction to travel and how abundant the resources are there, but they can also warn other bees to avoid places they didn't find nectar. It makes sense that bees would have evolved some way to determine a relative numerical value of something i.e. flowers and be able to act on that information at a later time, like when they get back to the nest. We just never quite known how bees figured this out. For example, one of the previous presumptions was bees used visual cues like variations in colors to determine what area had more flowers but what experiments like this imply is that bees actually have an inherent concept of numerical values themselves and can apply it to other situations, which is something we didn't think an insect could do.
- drb91 8y agoIt seems like your criteria for understanding is essentially impossible to test for. What's the point of it?
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]