are you smarter than a fish?

[<RJMC>]

think again....

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110107-fish-count-numbers-humans-animals-science/

According to a new study, college students showed roughly the same numerical skills as the small fish when presented with a laboratory test.

Mosquitofish, freshwater fish with a taste for mosquito larvae, are highly social. When a mosquitofish finds itself alone, its top priority becomes finding others. A previous study showed that the fish can, in fact, "count"—differentiating between numerical quantities in a lab experiment.

(Related: "Monkeys Can Subtract, Study Finds.")

The new study shows that the fish can not only tell the difference between small numbers such as 4 and 8, but they can also differentiate between quantities as large as 100 and 200.

"You just don't expect interesting results like this when dealing with animals like fish," said study leader Christian Agrillo of the University of Padova in Italy. "We thought this was really incredible."

But numerical skills break down for the fish when the ratios between two numbers change—an effect that was also seen among human volunteers.

 

[Avoidist]

Must be a pretty shitty college.

 

[VirusType2]

But numerical skills break down for the fish when the ratios between two numbers change—an effect that was also seen among human volunteers.

I'm assuming that means when the ratio becomes less different. They aren't counting, they are just comparing less and more.

A previous study showed that the fish can, in fact, "count"—differentiating between numerical quantities in a lab experiment.

No, that's not ****ing "counting", asshole.

 

[Iron Kat]

Mosquitofish, freshwater fish are highly social. When a mosquitofish finds itself alone, its top priority becomes finding others.

Great. They probably have a better social life than I do! FML