SCIENCE NEWS: Researchers at the University of Bonn say they’ve taught a popular aquarium fish—cichlids—to do math. The scientists used the color blue as a prompt to add one, and the color yellow as a prompt to subtract one. (earthsky.org)
The next time you gaze at the fish in your tank,
Delighted by their acrobatics
As they swim up and down, with their eyes cold and blank,
Are they working on their mathematics?
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I'm Jerry Partacz, happily married to my wife Julie for over 40 years. I have four children and eleven grandchildren. I'm enjoying retirement after 38 years of teaching. I now have an opportunity to share my thoughts on many things. I'm an incurable optimist. I also love to solve crossword puzzles and to write light verse. I love to read, to garden, to play the piano, to collect stamps and coins, and to watch "Curb Your Enthusiasm".
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Oh, the wonderful things you find!
Beyond your poetry, I enjoy your mind.
Keep on writing, even if tired --
I like it so much, Aquinas wired!
Margaret, I appreciate your kind words more than you know. And your quatrain is superb.
My blushes, as a friend of ours would say.
The source has some details why this is math, but it also seems like ordinary operant conditioning.
Anyone who has watched Bugs Bunny knows that rabbits multiply. Bugs even used a calculator.
The way rabbits multiply, Bugs needed one.
As for your first point, jack, remember Hans the horse?
BTW thanks for another chuckle.
Yes, there was the horse that would answer an addition problem by stamping its hoof.
Wonderful post, AW! Thank you so much