Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Photo of the week: bees, able to think and solve problems

Research on animal cognition has yielded significant results in recent years. On this occasion, the abilities of the insects have been revealed. Previously, they knew that bees were able to play with balls, count, recognize faces and even perceive the rhythm. A new study has shown that they are cognitively more developed than previously thought.

In the experiment, the bumblebees had to use a ball to reach a flower; the only way to reach the flower was to use the ball as a tool. Scientists have seen that the bumblebees, faced with the problem, have been able to stand still for a while and think about how they had to move the ball to reach the flower.

The Erlasters have not had the opportunity to learn from others what they had to do: they were alone and have not been able to see other insects working in this state before. However, the bumblebees, faced with the problem, have been able to stop, think that they could take advantage of the ball and solve it on their own.

“Insects think, and probably feel.”

Research shows that advanced cognition is not a capability of large brain animals. In fact, scientists believe that bees and other insects think and possibly feel it.