Technodoodlestory
CAN YOU PASS THE MIRROR TEST?
When you look into a mirror, what do you see? Yourself! Da! But how do you know it’s you looking back?
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Most all animals that look into a mirror have no idea that they are seeing a reflection of themselves. In fact, only humans, great apes, bottlenose dolphins, and Asian elephants are among an elite membership of mammals with this cognitive ability. This is just more evidence that we are more awesome than all the rest of the animals on Earth.
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What? There’s another animal that was just discovered to have this ability? It must be another mammal right? Ok, we have room in our club for another smarty-pants. What is it? A killer whale or a polar bear?
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No… A magpie? No way! You mean like Heckle and Jeckle?
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Yep! Researchers discovered that magpies have this ability too. To prove it, they applied yellow chalk to five magpies at a small area of their neck and then placed them in front of a mirror. Sure enough, they first looked in and behind the mirror and then began preening themselves where the yellow chalk was applied. Eventually, with the aid of the mirror, they removed all the chalk from their necks!ÂÂ
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211/discover/jan 2009/41
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