Amaze the calculation ability of animals

If the world had been taken aback by the ability to communicate, even two-way communication with the people of an African gray parrot named Alex or Kanzi dwarf chimpanzee, now perhaps many people would continue. surprised to know that mathematical competence is quite common in the animal world.

Calculation ability of animals

Let's start with the chicken house (Gallus gallus). Conducting the test, two small screens were placed in front of them, in which the first screen had a ball slowly appearing and disappearing while the second screen was 4 other balls. The results show that the chickens will go to the larger group, ie the screen with 4 balls. Rosa Rugani and Lucia Regolin - two scientists from Padova University (Italy) discovered that chickens can distinguish numbers, make simple addition and subtraction , even a 3-day-old chicks is also able to This feature.

With math tests, chimpanzees even perform much better. In one experiment, the researchers placed a chimp in front of two groups, each with two bowls containing chocolates. Finally, chimpanzees have chosen to have more chocolates, in other words, they have taken together the number of chocolates from two bowls together.

In fact, over many decades of research, scientists have drawn a lot of evidence of the mathematical ability of some species, including gorillas, brown monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, lemurs, fishes. pigs, elephants, birds, iguana and fish. Recently, the Oakland University team (Michigan) continued to add black bears to the list of skilled counting species.

According to Dr. Brian Butterworth from the University of London in England, the Serengeti lion in Africa can identify the number of lions present in their herd. 'Lions live by herds and territories. They only attack and oppose other lion groups when they realize they are more crowded, ' Brian said. Identifying this problem, Dr. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in Brighton, UK, said the roar of lions is not a meaningless sound, but a way to help them determine the number of species to determine. directions: attack or retreat. For example, in front of a group of 5 lions, Dr. Karen created a roaring sound equal to the intensity of 3 lions. Immediately, the group of 5 lions will determine the location of the noise and rush towards the enemy. However, if you change the sound intensity with 7 lions, this group will leave and give up the territory to the opponent.

However, the title of true mathematical 'genius' in the animal kingdom probably belongs to the desert ants Cataglyphis fortis , the common ants nest in the harsh salt lakes in Tunisia by their ability to identify and calculate both arithmetic and geometry.

When lost in the desert, people often get stuck in finding a way. However, this is too easy for the desert ant. According to experts, after leaving the nest to look for food, they can find their way back without a mold thanks to using one of two tricks based on visual cues or scents. But in fact, Tunisia's salt-water lakes make it impossible to keep any scent. On the other hand, wherever the desert landscape is, it is difficult to distinguish by sight.

The key to the problem lies in a very special secret weapon that results from the evolution of desert ants: geometry . As a result, it can calculate the current position from orbit and return to the starting point with the same path.

The ants can calculate the current position from orbit and return to the starting point with the same path, and determine the direction by calculating the angle between their path and the position of the sun. based on the same rules of trigonometric rules that we learn in 10th grade. They constantly update calculations to match the sun at different times of the day. All of this amazing ability is due to the system of about 250,000 neurons (in humans is about 85 billion neurons).

After determining the path, the desert ant conducted a distance estimation by counting the steps . The researchers discovered this when conducting experiments to attach a part of antelope to ants to extend their stride. They also shortened the footsteps of ants by cutting their legs short.

As a result, ants with stilts still have enough footsteps but due to longer strides, they have overcome the target while those who have their legs cut off stop at the target. After getting used to the new foot, they can adjust the 'machine' to measure their footsteps and head home more accurately.

Human language ability allows us to overcome simple computing skills. And if other animals have this ability, maybe they can do things that humans think only they can do.