Insects at Play

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Bumble bees are team players.

Bumblebees surprise scientists with advanced social learning skills

This study demonstrates that bumblebees possess a level of social learning previously thought to be exclusive to humans. They can share and acquire behaviors that are beyond their individual cognitive capabilities: an ability thought to underpin the expansive, complex nature of human culture, and one previously thought to be exclusive to us.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

More about bumblebees. When we go, they may take over.

Scientists Have Trained Bumblebees to Understand a Form of Morse Code

Scientists Have Trained Bumblebees to Understand a Form of Morse Code

In the latest test of the tiny workings of bumblebee minds, scientists have taught the fuzzy insects to tell the difference between patterns of light – a kind of simplified Morse code – to find a sugary treat.

www.sciencealert.com

Unfortunately, no one uses Morse Code anymore.

 

[novaphile]

More about bumblebees. When we go, they may take over.

Scientists Have Trained Bumblebees to Understand a Form of Morse Code

Scientists Have Trained Bumblebees to Understand a Form of Morse Code

In the latest test of the tiny workings of bumblebee minds, scientists have taught the fuzzy insects to tell the difference between patterns of light – a kind of simplified Morse code – to find a sugary treat.

www.sciencealert.com

Unfortunately, no one uses Morse Code anymore.

And it's a cypher anyway (and not invented by Morse).

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

And it's a cypher anyway (and not invented by Morse).

Isn't everything a "Form of Morse code"? With a wide enough definition of "form", of course.

 

[novaphile]

Isn't everything a "Form of Morse code"? With a wide enough definition of "form", of course.

???

I'm relying on QI's definition, that a cypher replaces individual letters, and a code represents a phrase or phrases.

e.g. Code A131 means: "Maintain minimum depth of 30 metres and make best possible speed to the Bering Strait."

The system of dots and dashes that we use, were invented by Alfred Vail.

Morse came up with the idea of long and short beeps, but Vail came up with the efficient system that we use today.

Hence "Morse Code" should be called "Vail's Cypher".



History is full of 'other people' getting the credit for inventions.

 

[Helen]

I thought bumblebees were busy playing with balls?

Bumblebees get a buzz out of playing with balls, study finds

Research shows bees rolling wooden balls despite having no apparent incentive to do so

www.theguardian.com