(Press-News.org) VIDEO:
This video shows example trials for each of the six experiments.
Click here for more information.
New Caledonian crows may understand how to displace water to receive a reward, with the causal understanding level of a 5-7 year-old child, according to results published March 26, 2014, in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Sarah Jelbert from University of Auckland and colleagues.
Understanding causal relationships between actions is a key feature of human cognition. However, the extent to which non-human animals are capable of understanding causal relationships is not well understood. Scientists used the Aesop's fable riddle— in which subjects drop stones into water to raise the water level and obtain an out-of reach-reward—to assess New Caledonian crows' causal understanding of water displacement. These crows are known for their intelligence and innovation, as they are the only non-primate species able to make tools, such as prodding sticks and hooks. Six wild crows were tested after a brief training period for six experiments, during which the authors noted rapid learning (although not all the crows completed every experiment). The authors note that these tasks did not test insightful problem solving, but were directed at the birds' understanding of volume displacement.
Crows completed 4 of 6 water displacement tasks, including preferentially dropping stones into a water-filled tube instead of a sand-filled tube, dropping sinking objects rather than floating objects, using solid objects rather than hollow objects, and dropping objects into a tube with a high water level rather than a low one. However, they failed two more challenging tasks, one that required understanding of the width of the tube, and one that required understanding of counterintuitive cues for a U-shaped displacement task. According to the authors, results indicate crows may possess a sophisticated—but incomplete—understanding of the causal properties of volume displacement, rivalling that of 5-7 year old children.
Sarah Jelbert added, "These results are striking as they highlight both the strengths and limits of the crows' understanding. In particular, the crows all failed a task which violated normal causal rules, but they could pass the other tasks, which suggests they were using some level of causal understanding when they were successful."
INFORMATION:
Citation: Jelbert SA, Taylor AH, Cheke LG, Clayton NS, Gray RD (2014) Using the Aesop's Fable Paradigm to Investigate Causal Understanding of Water Displacement by New Caledonian Crows. PLoS ONE 9(3): e92895. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092895
Financial Disclosure: This work was supported by a grant from the New Zealand Marsden Fund (RDG) and a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship (SAJ). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092895
Crows complete basic 'Aesop's fable' task
Crows understand water displacement at the level of a small child
2014-03-26
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Humpback whale populations share core skin bacterial community
2014-03-26
Humpback whales share a simplistic skin bacterial community across populations, according to results published March 26, 2014, in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Amy Apprill from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and colleagues. The overall bacterial communities differ by geographic area and by metabolic state, such as feeding versus starving during migration and breeding.
Bacterial communities living on mammal skin may play a role in their health; for humans, there is a relationship between skin bacteria and allergic or inflammatory conditions. While skin ...
New drug successfully treats crizotinib-resistant, ALK-positive lung cancer
2014-03-26
Although the targeted cancer treatment drug crizotinib is very effective in causing rapid regression of a particular form of lung cancer, patients' tumors inevitably become resistant to the drug. Now a new drug called ceritinib appears to be effective against advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), both in tumors that have become resistant to crizotinib and in those never treated with the older drug. The results of a phase 1 clinical trial conducted at centers in 11 countries are reported in the March 27 New England Journal of Medicine.
"Crizotinib ...
Patches of cortical layers disrupted during early brain development in autism
2014-03-26
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have published a study that gives clear and direct new evidence that autism begins during pregnancy.
The study will be published in the March 27 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The researchers – Eric Courchesne, PhD, professor of neurosciences and director of the Autism Center of Excellence at UC San Diego, Ed S. Lein, PhD, of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, and first author Rich Stoner, PhD, of the UC San Diego ...
Bamboo-loving giant pandas also have a sweet tooth
2014-03-26
PHILADELPHIA (March 26, 2014) – Despite the popular conception of giant pandas as continually chomping on bamboo to fulfill a voracious appetite for this reedy grass, new research from the Monell Center reveals that this highly endangered species also has a sweet tooth. A combination of behavioral and molecular genetic studies demonstrated that the giant panda both possesses functional sweet taste receptors and also shows a strong preference for some natural sweeteners, including fructose and sucrose.
"Examining an animal's taste DNA can give us clues to their past diet, ...
Researchers identify protein that helps control common viral infection
2014-03-26
Infectious disease specialists at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center have identified a protein that regulates the body's immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common pathogen that causes lifelong infections and can lead to devastating illness in newborns and those with weakened immune systems.
The protein — a cell receptor called NOD2 found in several types of immune cells — has long been known for its role in fighting off bacterial invaders by sensing their presence and alerting immune cells to release chemicals that weaken or destroy the harmful bacteria. That ...
UT Dallas study: No correlation between medical marijuana legalization, crime increase
2014-03-26
RICHARDSON, Texas (March 26, 2014) — The legalization of medical marijuana has sparked debate across the nation for decades.
Some opponents have argued that medical marijuana's legalization will lead to higher crime rates, but according to a new study at UT Dallas, legalization of medical cannabis is not an indicator of increased crime.
It actually may be related to reductions in certain types of crime, said Dr. Robert Morris, associate professor of criminology and lead author of the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE.
"We're cautious about saying, 'Medical ...
Disorganized cortical patches suggest prenatal origin of autism
2014-03-26
The architecture of the autistic brain is speckled with patches of abnormal neurons, according to research partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 27, 2014, this study suggests that brain irregularities in children with autism can be traced back to prenatal development.
"While autism is generally considered a developmental brain disorder, research has not identified a consistent or causative lesion," said Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of NIMH. ...
Scientists identify core skin bacterial community in humpback whales
2014-03-26
Bacteria are invisible to the naked eye, but they reside on nearly every surface humans encounter—including the skin. Uncovering the role these microorganisms play in human health is a major focus of research in skin microbiology, but little is known about the identity or function of skin bacteria in other mammals.
In a paper published in the open access journal PLOS ONE, researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and colleagues identified a core skin bacterial community that humpback whales share across populations, which could point to a way to assess ...
Smartphone app helps support recovery after treatment for alcoholism
2014-03-26
A smartphone application appears to help patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) reduce risky drinking days compared to patients who received usual care after leaving treatment in a residential program.
Alcohol dependence is a lifetime psychiatric diagnosis with relapse rates similar to other chronic illnesses. Continuing care for AUDs has been associated with better outcomes, but patients leaving treatment for AUDs typically are not offered aftercare.
The authors randomized 349 patients with alcohol dependence leaving three residential programs to treatment as ...
Migraine attacks increase following stress 'let-down'
2014-03-26
NEW YORK (March 26, 2014) – Migraine sufferers who experienced reduced stress from one day to the next are at significantly increased risk of migraine onset on the subsequent day, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Montefiore Headache Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. Stress has long been believed to be a common headache trigger. In this study, researchers found that relaxation following heightened stress was an even more significant trigger for migraine attacks. Findings may aid in recommending preventive treatments ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Scientists track evolution of pumice rafts after 2021 underwater eruption in Japan
The future of geothermal for reliable clean energy
Study shows end-of-life cancer care lacking for Medicare patients
Scented wax melts may not be as safe for indoor air as initially thought, study finds
Underwater mics and machine learning aid right whale conservation
Solving the case of the missing platinum
Glass fertilizer beads could be a sustained nutrient delivery system
Biobased lignin gels offer sustainable alternative for hair conditioning
Perovskite solar cells: Thermal stresses are the key to long-term stability
University of Houston professors named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors
Unraveling the mystery of the missing blue whale calves
UTA partnership boosts biomanufacturing in North Texas
Kennesaw State researcher earns American Heart Association award for innovative study on heart disease diagnostics
Self-imaging of structured light in new dimensions
Study highlights successes of Virginia’s oyster restoration efforts
Optimism can encourage healthy habits
Precision therapy with microbubbles
LLM-based web application scanner recognizes tasks and workflows
Pattern of compounds in blood may indicate severity of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia
How does innovation policy respond to the challenges of a changing world?
What happens when a diet targets ultra-processed foods?
University of Vaasa, Finland, conducts research on utilizing buildings as energy sources
Stealth virus: Zika virus builds tunnels to covertly infect cells of the placenta
The rising tide of sand mining: a growing threat to marine life
Contemporary patterns of end-of-life care among Medicare beneficiaries with advanced cancer
Digital screen time and nearsightedness
Postoperative weight loss after anti-obesity medications and revision risk after joint replacement
New ACS research finds low uptake of supportive care at the end-of-life for patients with advanced cancer
New frailty measurement tool could help identify vulnerable older adults in epic
Co-prescribed stimulants, opioids linked to higher opioid doses
[Press-News.org] Crows complete basic 'Aesop's fable' taskCrows understand water displacement at the level of a small child