Behavioral Science
A new study challenges the view of scavenging as a primitive fallback for early humans, portraying it instead as a smart, reliable survival strategy that shaped our evolution. Led by Spain's CENIEH, the research emphasizes how carrion consumption provided essential nutrition with less effort than hunting. Human traits like strong stomach acid and long-distance mobility made scavenging particularly effective.
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Scientists have outlined three evolutionary stages of consciousness, from basic alarm responses to self-awareness, suggesting it is an ancient trait shared widely across species. New research highlights that birds exhibit forms of sensory perception and self-consciousness similar to mammals, challenging previous assumptions about its origins. This framework, known as the ALARM theory, emphasizes survival and social functions.
An international team of researchers has discovered that birds across four continents produce nearly identical whining vocalizations to warn against brood parasites. This learned response builds on an innate sound, marking the first known example of such a hybrid vocalization in animals. The findings, published October 3 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, highlight how natural selection shapes cooperative communication.