We've been looking at ant intelligence the wrong way

How intelligent are animals? Despite centuries of effort by philosophers, psychologists and biologists, the question remains unanswered. We are inclined to tackle this question using a top-down approach. It seems intuitive ...

In Asia, ancient writing collides with the digital age

As a schoolboy, Akihiro Matsumura spent hundreds of hours learning the intricate Chinese characters that make up a part of written Japanese. Now, the graduate student can rely on his smartphone, tablet and laptop to remember ...

Talk it over: Language, uniquely, makes us human

We humans tend to consider ourselves apart from other species. But we're not really so different. So what makes us unique? I'd say it's language, though not everyone would agree.

Abstract thinking can make you more politically moderate

Partisans beware! Some of your most cherished political attitudes may be malleable! Researchers report that simply answering three "why" questions on an innocuous topic leads people to be more moderate in their views on an ...

Insects master abstract concepts

An insect's brain is capable of constructing and handling abstract concepts. It can even use two different concepts simultaneously in order to make a decision when faced with a new situation.

Computer scientist cracks mysterious 'Copiale Cipher'

The manuscript seems straight out of fiction: a strange handwritten message in abstract symbols and Roman letters meticulously covering 105 yellowing pages, hidden in the depths of an academic archive.

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