The oceans have always held fascination for mankind. More than merely seeing it as a rich source of food, people have been captivated by the mysterious depths, the crashing waves, the wind and the weather that make the seas nothing man can conquer. Those who sought to understand life on the salt water were the first scientists, making observations and drawing conclusions. The conclusions were often wrong, but that could be said of modern researchers today. Still, the idea that intelligent sea life exists is accepted by most who study the ocean.
The first scientists were simply people who knew a lot about plants and animals that surrounded them, heavenly bodies they could see, and the rhythms of life: seasons, day and night, high and low tide, and other natural phenomena. At first there was a treasury of anecdotal lore. Fishermen would watch dolphins at play, whales with their young, marine birds soaring over land and sea, and strange creatures they found in their nets or on their lines. Sometimes things could only be explained in myths and fantasy, but other things could mean the difference between a good catch or an empty boat or even between life and death.
Divers today swear that dolphins and even barracuda learn to recognize them if they swim in one area regularly. Everyone who has been at the seaside knows to be careful about throwing food to the gulls, because every bird in the sky will shortly be besieging them for handouts. There is no doubt that the wild animals quickly learn the habits of people who interact with them.
Modern studies seem to validate the idea that sea creatures don't operate merely in established patterns of their species. Goldfish, once thought to have a memory lasting less than five seconds, can learn to operate feeding stations and even learn to come only at certain times of day. Moreover, they demonstrate the ability to remember learned skills for three months or more. They also learn to identify color-coded feeding devices, going only to those they have learned will dispense food.
Every visitor to an aquarium with regular shows knows that dolphins and Orcas can be trained. They eagerly perform to earn a reward, but they also seem to enjoy the performance itself and the attention of the audience. Seals are famous circus stars.
People who work with performing animals know that they recognize words and music. They also become fond of people who they regularly encounter and who treat them kindly. Sometimes the animals display human traits. For example, dolphins who are decorated with designs on parts of their body that they cannot see will look at themselves in a mirror and seem to enjoy the novelty.
Scientists classify some 'smart' behavior as instinct rather than reasoning. The study of instinctive behavior is fascinating, but many researchers are probing beyond things like migrations and survival instincts. They have documented examples of maternal love in whales and dolphins that seem to be as intense as that of humans. Those who believe in pure evolution may have a hard time with the many documented examples of what looks a lot like reason in sea creatures.
Octopus may camouflage themselves with shells. Whales may work together to capture prey or sing a new song, never recorded before. Creatures have been observed using inanimate objects as tools. Some denizens of the deep live together in symbiotic relationships that seem to require intent and choice. It could be true that animals under the sea are thinking all the time.
The first scientists were simply people who knew a lot about plants and animals that surrounded them, heavenly bodies they could see, and the rhythms of life: seasons, day and night, high and low tide, and other natural phenomena. At first there was a treasury of anecdotal lore. Fishermen would watch dolphins at play, whales with their young, marine birds soaring over land and sea, and strange creatures they found in their nets or on their lines. Sometimes things could only be explained in myths and fantasy, but other things could mean the difference between a good catch or an empty boat or even between life and death.
Divers today swear that dolphins and even barracuda learn to recognize them if they swim in one area regularly. Everyone who has been at the seaside knows to be careful about throwing food to the gulls, because every bird in the sky will shortly be besieging them for handouts. There is no doubt that the wild animals quickly learn the habits of people who interact with them.
Modern studies seem to validate the idea that sea creatures don't operate merely in established patterns of their species. Goldfish, once thought to have a memory lasting less than five seconds, can learn to operate feeding stations and even learn to come only at certain times of day. Moreover, they demonstrate the ability to remember learned skills for three months or more. They also learn to identify color-coded feeding devices, going only to those they have learned will dispense food.
Every visitor to an aquarium with regular shows knows that dolphins and Orcas can be trained. They eagerly perform to earn a reward, but they also seem to enjoy the performance itself and the attention of the audience. Seals are famous circus stars.
People who work with performing animals know that they recognize words and music. They also become fond of people who they regularly encounter and who treat them kindly. Sometimes the animals display human traits. For example, dolphins who are decorated with designs on parts of their body that they cannot see will look at themselves in a mirror and seem to enjoy the novelty.
Scientists classify some 'smart' behavior as instinct rather than reasoning. The study of instinctive behavior is fascinating, but many researchers are probing beyond things like migrations and survival instincts. They have documented examples of maternal love in whales and dolphins that seem to be as intense as that of humans. Those who believe in pure evolution may have a hard time with the many documented examples of what looks a lot like reason in sea creatures.
Octopus may camouflage themselves with shells. Whales may work together to capture prey or sing a new song, never recorded before. Creatures have been observed using inanimate objects as tools. Some denizens of the deep live together in symbiotic relationships that seem to require intent and choice. It could be true that animals under the sea are thinking all the time.
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