The oceans have always held fascination for mankind. More than merely seeing it as a rich source of food, people have been captivated by the mysterious depths, the crashing waves, the wind and the weather that make the seas nothing man can conquer. Those who sought to understand life on the salt water were the first scientists, making observations and drawing conclusions. The conclusions were often wrong, but that could be said of modern researchers today. Still, the idea that intelligent sea life exists is accepted by most who study the ocean.
People alive today say they have been rescued by dolphins, who nudged them to shallow water after they had fallen from their boat. Whales seem to communicate with each other by song; some recent studies say that new songs are constantly being composed by these massive creatures. Those who spent their lives on the high seas learned all they could, since that could spell the difference between life and death, or at least between a profitable journey and financial disaster.
Divers in tropical waters say that dolphins, barracuda, and other denizens of the deep recognize them after a few encounters. Dolphins often interact with people. Seagulls are famous panhandlers, flocking so quickly and thickly that people learn not to throw bread on the water.
Modern research has found that the idea of intelligence in sea creatures to be valid. There was a study using goldfish - fresh water fish, it's true, but representative - that found that goldfish could learn to feed themselves by pushing a lever. Furthermore, when the device was set to distribute food only during one hour, the fish quickly learned to only work the lever during that time frame. They demonstrated the ability to retain this lesson for three months or more.
Almost everyone knows that seals, Orcas, and dolphins can be trained. These animals not only perform for a reward of their favorite food, but they seem to enjoy playing to an audience. They exhibit group behavior in the wild that helps them catch prey or protect themselves. Scientists are continually surprised at what they see.
People who work with performing animals know that they recognize words and music. They also become fond of people who they regularly encounter and who treat them kindly. Sometimes the animals display human traits. For example, dolphins who are decorated with designs on parts of their body that they cannot see will look at themselves in a mirror and seem to enjoy the novelty.
Scientists classify some 'smart' behavior as instinct rather than reasoning. The study of instinctive behavior is fascinating, but many researchers are probing beyond things like migrations and survival instincts. They have documented examples of maternal love in whales and dolphins that seem to be as intense as that of humans. Those who believe in pure evolution may have a hard time with the many documented examples of what looks a lot like reason in sea creatures.
Animals on both land and sea have been observed using inanimate objects as tools. There are complex symbiotic relationships that raise questions. It just may be that sea creatures are smarter than we think. Scientists know that there is much still to learn about and from denizens of the watery realms that cover most of the earth.
People alive today say they have been rescued by dolphins, who nudged them to shallow water after they had fallen from their boat. Whales seem to communicate with each other by song; some recent studies say that new songs are constantly being composed by these massive creatures. Those who spent their lives on the high seas learned all they could, since that could spell the difference between life and death, or at least between a profitable journey and financial disaster.
Divers in tropical waters say that dolphins, barracuda, and other denizens of the deep recognize them after a few encounters. Dolphins often interact with people. Seagulls are famous panhandlers, flocking so quickly and thickly that people learn not to throw bread on the water.
Modern research has found that the idea of intelligence in sea creatures to be valid. There was a study using goldfish - fresh water fish, it's true, but representative - that found that goldfish could learn to feed themselves by pushing a lever. Furthermore, when the device was set to distribute food only during one hour, the fish quickly learned to only work the lever during that time frame. They demonstrated the ability to retain this lesson for three months or more.
Almost everyone knows that seals, Orcas, and dolphins can be trained. These animals not only perform for a reward of their favorite food, but they seem to enjoy playing to an audience. They exhibit group behavior in the wild that helps them catch prey or protect themselves. Scientists are continually surprised at what they see.
People who work with performing animals know that they recognize words and music. They also become fond of people who they regularly encounter and who treat them kindly. Sometimes the animals display human traits. For example, dolphins who are decorated with designs on parts of their body that they cannot see will look at themselves in a mirror and seem to enjoy the novelty.
Scientists classify some 'smart' behavior as instinct rather than reasoning. The study of instinctive behavior is fascinating, but many researchers are probing beyond things like migrations and survival instincts. They have documented examples of maternal love in whales and dolphins that seem to be as intense as that of humans. Those who believe in pure evolution may have a hard time with the many documented examples of what looks a lot like reason in sea creatures.
Animals on both land and sea have been observed using inanimate objects as tools. There are complex symbiotic relationships that raise questions. It just may be that sea creatures are smarter than we think. Scientists know that there is much still to learn about and from denizens of the watery realms that cover most of the earth.
About the Author:
When you are looking for the facts about intelligent sea life, come to our web pages today. More details are available at http://www.supernauts7.com/about-the-author now.
No comments:
Post a Comment