Why we shouldn’t attribute human motivations to animals like bees

Anthropomorphising animals reminiscent of chimps, dolphins and bees will stifle scientific enquiry as a substitute of encouraging it, says evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk

By Marlene Zuk

IS PLAY the brand new device use? A current paper recounts bumblebees rolling tiny picket balls, not for a reward, however apparently only for enjoyable. The authors conclude that the behaviour fulfils the factors for play, with one noting: “It goes to show… that despite their little size and tiny brains, they are more than small robotic beings.” Put one other means, bees simply wanna have enjoyable, and that presumably makes them extra like folks.

This discovery underscores a long-standing battle in our view of animals. On the one hand, we need to discover the options that distinguish people from different animals: …