Animal Cognition

In the June 23 issue of Science, Elizabeth Pennisi address the issue of animal cognition in two articles (see below). Science, 23 June 2006: 312 (5781).

Social Animals Prove Their Smarts (p. 1734)
A new generation of experiments reveals that group-living animals
have a surprising degree of intelligence. What was once
considered a sharp line separating humans from all other animals is
becoming a blurry gray area, with various animals possessing
certain parts of the skill set considered to be advanced cognition.

Full story:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/312/5781/1734?etoc


Man's Best Friend(s) Reveal the Possible Roots of Social
Intelligence (p. 1737)
Recent controlled experiments show that some social animals have
evolved the flexibility and intelligence to deceive and benefit from
others and even predict what their peers may do (see main text).
But why did these and related abilities evolve?

Full story:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/312/5781/1737?etoc