34 min listen
Can animals count?
FromCrowdScience
ratings:
Length:
31 minutes
Released:
Sep 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Mathematics and our ability to describe the world in terms of number, shape and measurement may feel like a uniquely human ability. But is it really? Listener Mamadu from Sierra Leone wants to know: can animals count too?
CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton goes on a hunt to uncover the numerical abilities of the animal kingdom. Can wild lions compare different numbers? Can you teach bees to recognise and choose specific amounts? And if the answer is yes, how do they do it? Marnie tries to find out just how deep the numerical rabbit hole goes… and comes across a parrot named Alex who is perhaps the most impressive example of animal counting of them all.
Contributors:
Brian Butterworth - emeritus professor of cognitive neuropsychology at University College London
Mai Morimoto - researcher at Queen Mary University of London
Lars Chittka - professor of sensory and behavioural ecology at Queen Mary University of London
Irene Pepperberg - comparative psychologist, and research associate at Harvard University
Sounds:
Lions from Karen McComb, emeritus professor at University of Sussex
Túngara frogs from Michael Ryan, professor of zoology at University of Texa at Austin
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producer: Florian Bohr
CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton goes on a hunt to uncover the numerical abilities of the animal kingdom. Can wild lions compare different numbers? Can you teach bees to recognise and choose specific amounts? And if the answer is yes, how do they do it? Marnie tries to find out just how deep the numerical rabbit hole goes… and comes across a parrot named Alex who is perhaps the most impressive example of animal counting of them all.
Contributors:
Brian Butterworth - emeritus professor of cognitive neuropsychology at University College London
Mai Morimoto - researcher at Queen Mary University of London
Lars Chittka - professor of sensory and behavioural ecology at Queen Mary University of London
Irene Pepperberg - comparative psychologist, and research associate at Harvard University
Sounds:
Lions from Karen McComb, emeritus professor at University of Sussex
Túngara frogs from Michael Ryan, professor of zoology at University of Texa at Austin
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producer: Florian Bohr
Released:
Sep 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Which Language is Most Efficient?: Marnie Chesterton attempts to apply science and evidence to the art of speech by CrowdScience