New human-like species discovered in S Africa

[juvenissun]

When the potato is out, they wash it.

The behavior was first observed in the 1950s, and has persisted ever since

watch the whole video to get the most out of it, it is just a little over 3 minutes long.
In the wild, this species of monkey lives for only around 6 years or so, making this trait one that has persisted for approximately 11 generations. Also, it's a behavior that is regional, not seen in the entire species and only in ones that have encountered others that wash potatoes. Trying to say that this is not a behavior they learn from each other is the equivalent of saying that every literate person for the past 220 years (about 11 human generations) figured out how to read on their own.

They try to find potato on beach? What is the point of this experiment?
How did the first monkey know that? I am not surprised that when one found it, then the other will do the same. It does not take a teaching to learn that. Any animal can do similar. What does that prove?

 

[PsychoSarah]

They try to find potato on beach? What is the point of this experiment?
How did the first monkey know that? I am not surprised that when one found it, then the other will do the same. It does not take a teaching to learn that. Any animal can do similar. What does that prove?

-_- so you think it is more likely that hundreds of individual monkeys figure out on their own to wash the potatoes (which improves their taste) each generation for the past 60+ years that all happen to be living in the same relative geographic location, than it is for them to learn the behavior through observation? Really? Too bad we actually watch them show it to each other and their offspring and teach them how to do it on purpose. That kinda disproves your rather odd and counterintuitive hypothesis.

 

[juvenissun]

-_- so you think it is more likely that hundreds of individual monkeys figure out on their own to wash the potatoes (which improves their taste) each generation for the past 60+ years that all happen to be living in the same relative geographic location, than it is for them to learn the behavior through observation? Really? Too bad we actually watch them show it to each other and their offspring and teach them how to do it on purpose. That kinda disproves your rather odd and counterintuitive hypothesis.

What hypothesis? I don't have any hypothesis.

 

[PsychoSarah]

What hypothesis? I don't have any hypothesis.

You hypothesized that the monkeys and other species don't learn new tasks on their own and teach it to their offspring. Did you forget about our entire conversation, or do you not understand that proposing an explanation for anything is generating a hypothesis?

 

[juvenissun]

You hypothesized that the monkeys and other species don't learn new tasks on their own and teach it to their offspring. Did you forget about our entire conversation, or do you not understand that proposing an explanation for anything is generating a hypothesis?

I never made that hypothesis.

 

[PsychoSarah]

I never made that hypothesis.

-_- a proposed idea like that is a hypothesis.

 

[juvenissun]

-_- a proposed idea like that is a hypothesis.

I never proposed it.

 

[PsychoSarah]

I never proposed it.

If you hadn't, you would have corrected me far sooner than this, but hold on while I link your post

I can teach a chimp to learn geology. And it might learn the skill better than some of my students.

Try to release this one to the wild and see if his offsprings would keep doing this.

Intelligence can not be taught. That is why evolution is wrong.

 

[juvenissun]

If you hadn't, you would have corrected me far sooner than this, but hold on while I link your post

I said teaching geology. I never said finding potato.

 

[Loudmouth]

I said teaching geology. I never said finding potato.

You said intelligence.

"Intelligence can not be taught. That is why evolution is wrong."