Probably the most significant excerpt from the article:
The broader implication here is that some animals may be practicing a kind of science, observing cause and effect, experimenting and learning. The University of Oxford evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar argues in his book “The Trouble With Science” that not only is science not unique to the West or to the developed world, but that it’s not exclusive to humans. “Science is a genuine universal, characteristic of all advanced life-forms,” he writes. It’s how living things figure out the world around them.
There are plenty of things that animals do that earn disapproval, even horror were they done by humans to other humans.
The praying mantis decapitating and devouring her mate, is one example. Infanticide and cannibalism are quite common in the animal kingdom. Many sex acts engaged at by animals and especially insects would be considered deviant if not simply insane were humans to carry them out. The list goes on and on.
That said, I'm completely against the War on Drugs. But saying animals use drugs is not a very convincing argument against it.
The broader implication here is that some animals may be practicing a kind of science, observing cause and effect, experimenting and learning. The University of Oxford evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar argues in his book “The Trouble With Science” that not only is science not unique to the West or to the developed world, but that it’s not exclusive to humans. “Science is a genuine universal, characteristic of all advanced life-forms,” he writes. It’s how living things figure out the world around them.