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1. 

   SF Company Joker, 8 Dec 2011 @ 5:09pm

   
   

   animals vs humans

   I disagree. Animals aren't getting smarter, humans are getting dumber.
   
   Kardashians are on TV, 16 & Pregnant is a show and apparently the cupcakes are at war.

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2. 

   Michael Ho (profile), 8 Dec 2011 @ 5:29pm

   
   

   Re: animals vs humans

   I wonder if anyone is tracking the "average intelligence" of the human population... it's quite possible that the median intelligence is trending downwards.

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3. 

   Jeff (profile), 8 Dec 2011 @ 6:05pm

   
   

   Re: Re: animals vs humans

   trending??? No... the correct term is "free-falling"

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4. 

   Hip Hop Production, 8 Dec 2011 @ 6:30pm

   
   

   The lack of intelligence of the human species is linked to too much tv. Therefore I blame television.

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5. 

   A Guy (profile), 8 Dec 2011 @ 6:40pm

   
   

   Re: Re: animals vs humans

   Intelligence seems to be linked to some magical property akin to "the degree to which we like what you say, or how you say it."
   
   Before you can measure it, you need a rigorous definition of what you are measuring.

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6. 

   Stupid is as stupid does, 8 Dec 2011 @ 6:51pm

   
   

   Animals Are Getting Smarter...

   After following OOTB's comments.... I have to disagree with that statement.

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7. 

   Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2011 @ 7:43pm

   
   

   Just Look at Congress

   "Animals Are Getting Smarter..."
   
   Or maybe humans are just getting dumber...

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8. 

   Wayne, 8 Dec 2011 @ 8:28pm

   
   

   Animals are not getting smarter, we are just (finally) figuring out that animals are more than simply "squishy robots". I think the idea that animals do not have intelligence will be looked back upon by future humans the same way as the idea that the earth is the center of the universe.

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9. 

   Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2011 @ 9:56pm

   
   

   Re:

   I agree. They were always intelligent, we are just now better discovering their true intelligence.
   
   So they are adapting to new environments in new and intelligent ways. Doesn't make them any 'more' intelligent, they already had the intelligence to adapt to a changing environment before the environment changed but they didn't adapt (because they have no reason to) until after the environment changed. Doesn't make them any more intelligent, they just don't need to apply their pre- existing intelligence to adapt to a new environment before the environment changes. They're intelligent, not psychic.

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10. 

    Hephaestus (profile), 8 Dec 2011 @ 10:23pm

    
    

    Re: Re: animals vs humans

    Michael
    
    You forgot a major one... Dolphins talk in images
    
    David

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11. 

    Hephaestus (profile), 8 Dec 2011 @ 10:25pm

    
    

    Re:

    What do you mean the earth is not the center of the universe? Next thing you will be telling me is that the earth is shaped like a potato.

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12. 

    Anonymous Coward, 9 Dec 2011 @ 3:35am

    
    

    www.npr.org/2011/12/09/143304206/cagebreak-rats-will-work-to-free-a-trapped-pal
    
    Even rats are more empathetic than some people I know :)

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13. 

    Michael Ho (profile), 9 Dec 2011 @ 1:51pm

    
    

    Re: Re: Re: animals vs humans

    David,
    
    These DailyDirts aren't supposed to be comprehensive... but I did mention dolphin communication in this one:
    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090513/1026354871/dailydirt-talking-to-animals.shtml
    
    If you've got any more examples of cool animal communication techniques, I'd love to see 'em.
    
    Thanks!
    
    Mike

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14. 

    darryl, 9 Dec 2011 @ 9:28pm

    
    

    Chimps are dumb

    Dogs are far more intelligent that chimps, they are also very skilled in human communications.
    
    Most humans can determine the nature of a dog bark from it's sound alone, therefore it is a very effective form of communication.
    
    Dogs are also expert at reading facial expressions and body language, also their 'mind map' of the world around them is based on smells.
    
    You could teach a dog to do something in 5 minutes that would simply be impossible with a chimp.
    
    Also lion ants throw things.

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15. 

    Anonymous Coward, 9 Dec 2011 @ 9:38pm

    
    

    Re: Re:

    The earth is shaped like a potato !!!!.
    
    A round one...

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16. 

    Darryl, 9 Dec 2011 @ 9:47pm

    
    

    Accuracy of Techdirt ??????? *NOT VERY*

    Since the sides of the pit consist of loose sand at its angle of repose,[10] they afford an insecure foothold to any small insects that inadvertently venture over the edge, such as ants. Slipping to the bottom, the prey is immediately seized by the lurking antlion; or if it attempts to scramble up the treacherous walls of the pit, it is speedily checked in its efforts and brought down by showers of loose sand which are thrown at it from below by the larva. By throwing up loose sand from the bottom of the pit, the larva also undermines the sides of the pit, causing them to collapse and bring the prey with them. Thus it does not matter whether the larva actually strikes the prey with the sand showers.
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antlion

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17. 

    Anonymous Coward, 9 Dec 2011 @ 9:57pm

    
    

    Re: Re: Re: animals vs humans

    are you speaking from personal experience ?

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18. 

    Anonymous Coward, 10 Dec 2011 @ 3:29pm

    
    

    A quote from one of my favorite movies

    F****n' scrugs. They're getting smarter all the time.

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19. 

    lol, 3 Aug 2013 @ 8:26pm

    
    

    Re: animals vs humans

    I think the fact your reading this article and using the internet is an argument to your statement. Your using a database of unimited human knowledge. Tv is ignorant. But people have never read as much as they have today. People have never had access to the amount of information they have today. TV is being phased out and it's catering to the lowest common denominator of humans who still view it

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