NationStates Jolt Archive

"Elephants being studied at the Bronx Zoo have shown a surprising affinity for mirrors, with one elephant even using her trunk to examine a spot on her cheek that could only be seen in her reflection. The research indicates that elephants not only recognize their mirror image but use the mirror as a tool for self-examination."

http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=133007INHI5O

I'm always amazed by intelligence in animals whether they be dolphins, gorillas, cats or dogs. How long do you think before they all get together with the elephants and enslave humanity?

Hooray for smart elephants!

People are having less and less reason to feel self-important everyday.

I for one welcome our pachydermian overlords. See? I used pachyderm in conversation. This makes me superior, oh yes.

I for one welcome our pachydermian overlords. See? I used pachyderm in conversation. This makes me superior, oh yes.

For true superiority, one must rhyme pachyderm.

For true superiority, one must rhyme pachyderm.

Pachyderms can live and learn.

For true superiority, one must rhyme pachyderm.

my pet pachyderm has a bubble perm

I read an article about that in todays paper. I thought it was interesting that the tests they did are implying that elephants are self-aware. Which the article pointed out, has thus far only been attributed to 3 other species, including humans. I also thought it was interesting that apparently chimps are known to be sel-aware, but gorillas aren't?

If it were not for the pro-choice pachyderm,
My love would have gone full term.

Oh, my bad. I hadn't realized this was supposed to be a spam thread. Carry on, as you were. **Leaves thread, stage center**

The doctor to the healthy pachyderm:
"Good news, I've found a lack of germs!"

the water loving pachyderm,
placed in custard, starts to squirm,
until you paint it's toenails yellow,
whence said 'phant begins to mellow.

You guys are terrible.

You guys are terrible.

:eek: :p

the pachyderm
will never learn
to swim with rays
in all his days

I read an article about that in todays paper. I thought it was interesting that the tests they did are implying that elephants are self-aware. Which the article pointed out, has thus far only been attributed to 3 other species, including humans. I also thought it was interesting that apparently chimps are known to be sel-aware, but gorillas aren't?

Not really, if you think about it. Also, the mirror test may not be the best for "self awareness", as it is a rather unusual object, and would require the animal to realize the reflection is it's own(however, it can still be self aware without realizing that the reflection is itself).

Anywho, back to chimps and gorillas. It really isn't that odd, as chimps have a more recent common ancestor with us than gorillas do.

If I remember correctly, Chimps and Hominids(early pre-humans) split off somewhere between 6-8 million years ago, whereas gorrillas somewhere around 10-ish million years ago. This would mean that Chimps and humans evolved along a more similar line, and may the beginning traits towards self-awareness may have come during the 2-ish million years between the time when the gorilla line branched off and the chimp line branched off.

For a quick explanation of the evolution of Apes and Hominids, the Ape line didn't branch off all at once.

Let's see how well I can diagram this.

1.Orangutan ancestors branch off from Gorillas/Chimps/Humans line
2.Gorilla ancestors branch off from Chimp/Human line
3.Chimps branch off from human line.
4. Humans.


---15mya---10mya---5mya---Present
------1-------2----3--------------4

Or perhaps a tree:

1. 14 mya, Early Orangutan ancestor branch off from the rest of the Ape line.
2. 8-10 mya, Early Gorilla Ancestor Branches off from rest of Ape line
3. 6-8 mya, Early Chimp ancestors branch off from remaining line, which leads to early humans.
4.Modern Human
5.Modern Chimps
6.Modern Gorillas
7.Modern Orangutans

4.......5......6.........7
\......./....../........./
.\...../....../........./
..\.../....../........./
...\./....../........./
....\3...../........./
.....\..../........./
......\../........./
.......\/2......./
........\......../
.........\....../
..........\..../
...........\../
............\/
.............1

Make some sense?

Not really, if you think about it. Also, the mirror test may not be the best for "self awareness", as it is a rather unusual object, and would require the animal to realize the reflection is it's own(however, it can still be self aware without realizing that the reflection is itself).

They put a mark on the elephants' faces and one of the elephants repeatedly responded to it while looking in the mirror.

They put a mark on the elephants' faces and one of the elephants repeatedly responded to it while looking in the mirror.

Yeah... not what I meant. I meant that an animal may be self aware without responding to the "mirror" test.

Yeah... not what I meant. I meant that an animal may be self aware without responding to the "mirror" test.

Ooops.

Yep. Makes sense.

The article I read actually mentions that the mirror test is one that was created when they were testing chimps awhile back. The guy credited with making the test agreed that they have definitely shown that it is possible. But he also says that they need to do some more testing first, so I guess we'll see.

I agree with Vitto, the test rather proved that she was able to recognize the image as herself. They went on to say that at some point, the elephant actually used her trunck to move one of her ears forwards, it looked pretty much like she was using the mirror to examine herself.

Yeah... not what I meant. I meant that an animal may be self aware without responding to the "mirror" test.

Whoops, nevermind. Forget I said anything.

And all this time I thought elephants were painting their toenails red to hide in cherry trees!

And all this time I thought elephants were painting their toenails red to hide in cherry trees!

What?

What?

Q) Why do elephants paint their toe nails red?

A) So that they can hide in cherry trees.

Have you ever seen a elephant in a cherry tree?

Of course not! They're hiding!

Trilby63;11886497']Q) Why do elephants paint their toe nails red?

A) So that they can hide in cherry trees.

Have you ever seen a elephant in a cherry tree?

Of course not! They're hiding!

Ohhh ohh and how do they get down from said tree?

Why stand on a leaf and wait till Autum of course.

Ohhh ohh and how do they get down from said tree?

Why stand on a leaf and wait till Autum of course.

No one gets down from a tree, silly, you get down from ducks!

No one gets down from a tree, silly, you get down from ducks!

HAhahahahhhahhahah he0oooehhehheh hoooohhahhehh heh heh heh ahhhhh

Cheers, for that!

And all this time I thought elephants were painting their toenails red to hide in cherry trees!

yeh, i know. i got it wrong, it's the soles of their feet they paint yellow to hide in custard.

For true superiority, one must rhyme pachyderm.

Tale of a Persian Rugseller

Once upon a time, 'cross India I traveled
O'er roads so dry and firm
I rode a mighty Pachyderm
As my rugs unraveled.

Tale of a Persian Rugseller

Once upon a time, 'cross India I traveled
O'er roads so dry and firm
I rode a mighty Pachyderm
As my rugs unraveled.

Heh that's very good. You know whats funny though? I know it is prounouced paki-derm

But the way it is spelt makes it look like some sofrt of skin complaint, heheh or is that just me?!?! Jeez I need to get home.

Heh that's very good. You know whats funny though? I know it is prounouced paki-derm

But the way it is spelt makes it look like some sofrt of skin complaint, heheh or is that just me?!?! Jeez I need to get home.

Erm, well, it is a description of the elephant's skin ... pachy-derm, thick-skin. Ah, those Greeks, a word for everything. :p

Erm, well, it is a description of the elephant's skin ... pachy-derm, thick-skin. Ah, those Greeks, a word for everything. :p

Wow another thing I learnt today. Umm I mean yeah I knew that, it was all a joke, you know like a play on words type a thing!

Erm, well, it is a description of the elephant's skin ... pachy-derm, thick-skin. Ah, those Greeks, a word for everything. :p

They didn't have a word for the colour blue. True fact, that.

No one gets down from a tree, silly, you get down from ducks!

How does an elephant get up a tree anyway?

I mean, I know how to get one into my fridge, but up a tree? :confused:

How does an elephant get up a tree anyway?

I mean, I know how to get one into my fridge, but up a tree? :confused:

You crazy fool, do you not know?

It buries itself in the ground leaving only part of it's trunk sticking out, which it wiggles around like a worm, and so the bird flies down and grabs it and then flies back up to it's perch, elephant in tow.

You crazy fool, do you not know?

It buries itself in the ground leaving only part of it's trunk sticking out, which it wiggles around like a worm, and so the bird flies down and grabs it and then flies back up to it's perch, elephant in tow.

I must have missed that show on the Nature Channel. Thanks for enlightening me.

Just like an elephant, I shall never forget it :)

Trilby63;11886612']They didn't have a word for the colour blue. True fact, that.

I know, I've always thought that odd. And yet there's reason to believe that those pristine, white temples were actually painted in a manner we'd call garish now, all bright primary colors. The whole color vocabulary of the Greeks and Romans would make an interesting paper.

I know, I've always thought that odd. And yet there's reason to believe that those pristine, white temples were actually painted in a manner we'd call garish now, all bright primary colors. The whole color vocabulary of the Greeks and Romans would make an interesting paper.

I didn't really think about it until Alan Davies got all pissy about it. He's so cute when he does that.