Psychologists have become wary of stating: "The human being is the only animal that… " Monkeys keep proving them wrong. But don't place all bets on primates; there's a whole kingdom of counterexamples out there.
Talk to the Hand
Among chimps and bonobos, a hand gesture can have multiple meanings ("help me out," "give me food"), whereas a shriek or grunt usually has just one. That apes use gestures more flexibly than they use sounds supports the emerging theory that human language—the ultimate Swiss army knife—evolved from basic signing.
Birdbrain No More
When researchers asked a middle-aged parrot to describe an empty tray during a counting test, the bird spontaneously answered, "none." Understanding the abstract concept of zero is quite a hoop to fly through; humans can't do it until age 3 or 4.
Laughter is older than language. Neuroscientists have shown that when tickled playfully, even the lowly rat will emit high-pitched chirps—an analog to a human chuckle.
Sync or Swim
Groupers and moray eels in the Red Sea coordinate their killing through interspecies signaling. One hunts the open water while the other covers crevices. Potential meals can't run or hide.
The Early Bird…
People aren't the only ones to worry about the future. Caged jays will tuck away food overnight if they know breakfast isn't coming. And they even consider variety when stashing—they'll mix their peanut and kibble supplies for a two-course meal.
Known Unknowns
Metacognition—the ability to think about your thinking—has now been shown in monkeys, dolphins, and rats. Monkeys can assess how hard a memory task will be for them and wager food accordingly. In other words, they know when to hold and when to fold.
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