News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a scaled up primate brain. Parent comment

Re:Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a sc... by chii on Monday March 20, 2023 @07:29AM (#35230035)
> Squirrels, ants and bees can build wealth as well.

investing isn't just storing "wealth" (ala, a storage of foods). Investing is using the time that such wealth affords you to invent new tools, to make more efficient methods/machines for making wealth! Animals are, currently, missing this part.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a sc... by HPsquared on Monday March 20, 2023 @07:37AM (#35230099)
Animals do learn techniques and pass knowledge to their offspring. The only thing is, they don't make tools.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a sc... by kaba0 on Monday March 20, 2023 @11:46AM (#35233313)
They do make tools (corvids, octopuses, apes).

Learning and passing knowledge is much rarer, I believe, and I can’t really think of any non-mammal example.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a sc... by HPsquared on Monday March 20, 2023 @12:34PM (#35234178)
Don't they watch their parents hunting and things like that?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Newer data once again shows: the human brain is just a sc... by kaba0 on Monday March 20, 2023 @01:02PM (#35234737)
Mammals? Some do. Most other animal I can think of right now? Nope, a snake just.. does its “pre-programmed” thing, the same way a spider creates its web. Jellyfish are barely alive, fish are also not particularly intelligent.

People really did believe even just a few hundred years ago that animals were just “animatronics”, and let’s be honest, plenty of animals don’t disprove it too well.

[ Parent | on HN ]