Cows, it seems, are not as clueless as we often give them credit for. A recent study in Current Biology has shed light on how a cow named Veronika uses a broom to scratch her backside - a feat that's left many scratching their heads (pun intended). But what this story really highlights is our own tendency to underestimate the abilities of non-human animals.
When we think of cows, we often imagine them as mindless beasts of burden, grazing away in fields all day. But Veronika, a 13-year-old brown Swiss pet cow, has other plans. She picks up the broom with her tongue and uses it to scratch her belly and buttocks, a task that requires flexibility and problem-solving skills.
What's remarkable about this story isn't just that cows can use tools, but that they do so in a multi-purpose manner. Veronika's humble back yard brush has been transformed into a Swiss army knife of sorts, serving both as a belly gadget and buttock gizmo.
But what does this really tell us? Not much, if we're being honest. This story might surprise some, but it shouldn't. We consistently underestimate the abilities of non-human animals, even when the evidence is right in front of us.
Tool use, for instance, isn't exclusive to humans. Sea otters have been observed using stones as hammers and anvils to crack open shells, while chimpanzees strip leaves from twigs and use them to catch termites. New Caledonian crows fashion hooks from plant stems to extract larvae from logs.
Polar bears even seem to enjoy a good game of rock-paper-scissors with walruses, smacking them round the head with rocks to take advantage of their natural fear response. And octopuses? They're just waiting for an excuse to start a pot-shooting range.
One by one, features that we once thought were uniquely human - like tool use and complex communication - are being toppled from our pedestals. But still, we refuse to accept the full complexity of animal intelligence.
We'd rather maintain the illusion of our supposed superiority over non-human animals. We prefer to think of ourselves as the cleverest creatures on the planet, when in reality, we're just getting started. Veronika's story might be a delightful surprise for some, but it should be met with a healthy dose of humility.
After all, if we can accept that cows are smarter and more like us than we give them credit for, then perhaps we'll start to see the world in a different light. We don't need to redefine what it means to be human or reaccept chimpanzees as one of our own; instead, we just need to get off our high horses and acknowledge that, yes, animals are smart - and maybe even more like us than we'd care to admit.
When we think of cows, we often imagine them as mindless beasts of burden, grazing away in fields all day. But Veronika, a 13-year-old brown Swiss pet cow, has other plans. She picks up the broom with her tongue and uses it to scratch her belly and buttocks, a task that requires flexibility and problem-solving skills.
What's remarkable about this story isn't just that cows can use tools, but that they do so in a multi-purpose manner. Veronika's humble back yard brush has been transformed into a Swiss army knife of sorts, serving both as a belly gadget and buttock gizmo.
But what does this really tell us? Not much, if we're being honest. This story might surprise some, but it shouldn't. We consistently underestimate the abilities of non-human animals, even when the evidence is right in front of us.
Tool use, for instance, isn't exclusive to humans. Sea otters have been observed using stones as hammers and anvils to crack open shells, while chimpanzees strip leaves from twigs and use them to catch termites. New Caledonian crows fashion hooks from plant stems to extract larvae from logs.
Polar bears even seem to enjoy a good game of rock-paper-scissors with walruses, smacking them round the head with rocks to take advantage of their natural fear response. And octopuses? They're just waiting for an excuse to start a pot-shooting range.
One by one, features that we once thought were uniquely human - like tool use and complex communication - are being toppled from our pedestals. But still, we refuse to accept the full complexity of animal intelligence.
We'd rather maintain the illusion of our supposed superiority over non-human animals. We prefer to think of ourselves as the cleverest creatures on the planet, when in reality, we're just getting started. Veronika's story might be a delightful surprise for some, but it should be met with a healthy dose of humility.
After all, if we can accept that cows are smarter and more like us than we give them credit for, then perhaps we'll start to see the world in a different light. We don't need to redefine what it means to be human or reaccept chimpanzees as one of our own; instead, we just need to get off our high horses and acknowledge that, yes, animals are smart - and maybe even more like us than we'd care to admit.
cows r actually super clever!!! they use tools 2 scratch themselves & it's not just cows but all sorts of animals like sea otters, chimps, new caledonian crows & even octopuses 
veronika the cow is low-key a genius 
cows using tools is like the ultimate game-changer! Veronika's broom trick is low-key genius 
. Newsflash: animals are actually way more clever than we think they are! 
those sea otters using rocks to crack open shells? 
. let's ditch our egos for now and just appreciate the awesomeness of Veronika and all her cow friends 
The sea otters with stones, the crows with hooks... it's like animals are trying to one-up us at our own game 
. Maybe we should just take a step back and acknowledge that we're not as special as we think we are 
I'm not surprised by Veronika's skills, tbh. We've seen some wild stuff in the animal kingdom already 
. Maybe this is a reminder that we don't have to be the smartest or most capable creatures in the world...