Episode #1063

News Items

        Dumbest Thing of the Week

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NKe7vtpueA/

        Questions and Emails

        A recent paper in Science claims wolves use tools (https://www.science.org/content/article/have-wild-wolves-learned-use-tools). A wolf apparently learned to pull up a submerged net with crabs at the bottom. An ethologist on Bluesky wrote, ‘This meets the the most standard definition of tool use used in primatology (Beck 1980), and it surprises me how many don’t think it qualifies as tool use’ ( https://bsky.app/profile/marspidermonkey.bsky.social/post/3m5x6erzt622q ). The definition is apparently ‘that they are using an unattached object (the net), to manipulate something else (the fish), and manipulated and properly orients the tool (correctly angles it to pull the net out and get the fish).’ To me, this seems like a weak definition of ‘tool,’ because it relies on humans’ awareness of whether the object is unattached to the reward. For example, suppose crabs had a very long, floaty tail that looked just like a net, and a wolf pulled that up and ate the crab’s main body. Humans wouldn’t call that a tool, but the wolf might not see any difference between that and the reported situation. What do you all reckon? Love the show. Best

        Science or Fiction

        Skeptical Quote of the Week.

        “What you learn from a life in science is the vastness of our ignorance.” – David Eagleman