Orangutans make and use medicine

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 12:10am #1

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5259125/Orang-utans-use-medicinal-plants-create-ointment.html

Great apes have been observed chewing plants to make an ointment to treat their aching limbs.

Isn't this just proof that the only difference between animals and humans is that our brains are in most cases simply further developed than animals brains and that this planet we live in was not specifically designed for us, not that I think it was designed at all.

12-01-2018 12:15am

AllForIt wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5259125/Orang-utans-use-medicinal-plants-create-ointment.html

Great apes have been observed chewing plants to make an ointment to treat their aching limbs.

Isn't this just proof that the only difference between animals and humans is that our brains are in most cases simply further developed than animals brains and that this planet we live in was not specifically designed for us, not that I think it was designed at all.

No.

Stheno · 12-01-2018 12:19am

AllForIt wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5259125/Orang-utans-use-medicinal-plants-create-ointment.html

Great apes have been observed chewing plants to make an ointment to treat their aching limbs.

Isn't this just proof that the only difference between animals and humans is that our brains are in most cases simply further developed than animals brains and that this planet we live in was not specifically designed for us, not that I think it was designed at all.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/06/bonobos-join-chimps-closest-human-relatives

Bonobos and chimps share 99% of human DNA they lack some higher features but this report doesn't surprise me

Junkyard Tom · 12-01-2018 12:36am

We share over half our genes with the Fruit Fly.

The-Fly-Promo-2.gif?resize=450%2C248&ssl=1

riffmongous · 12-01-2018 12:49am

I honestly believe that if you sent an orangutan or chimp through the education system they would come out smarter than some of the people I went to school with

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 12:50am

Stheno wrote: »

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/06/bonobos-join-chimps-closest-human-relatives

Bonobos and chimps share 99% of human DNA they lack some higher features but this report doesn't surprise me

I didn't know that but I'm sure to your average believer that would all be irrelevant because all it would prove is that the raw material we are made up of is largely the same.

What I think the report shows is that the difference between animals and humans is much smaller than some would think in terms of mental abilities, emotions etc... thus making a very good case against the idea that this planet was designed specifially for us.

Oranage2 · 12-01-2018 12:50am

Shouldn't we wipe out all the other intelligent animals so they don't try to out-compete us or try to kill us all off.

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 12:55am

riffmongous wrote: »

I honestly believe that if you sent an orangutan or chimp through the education system they would come out smarter than some of the people I went to school with

Is that a comment on the education system or the ppl who engage in it?

IvySlayer · 12-01-2018 12:56am

Elephant, lizards, giraffe, buffalo and other antelope have been observed eating specific plants to self medicate. Not just primates.

Honeyguides have learned to lead humans to bees nests to feed on the leftovers

Animals are amazing

Rory28 · 12-01-2018 12:57am

Oranage2 wrote: »

Shouldn't we wipe out all the other intelligent animals so they don't try to out-compete us or try to kill us all off.

Yes. Yes we should. Start with he ants tho. They have the numbers and are quite gross.

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 12:57am

Oranage2 wrote: »

Shouldn't we wipe out all the other intelligent animals so they don't try to out-compete us or try to kill us all off.

What do you mean like assassinate president Trump?

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 12:59am

IvySlayer wrote: »

Elephant, lizards, giraffe, buffalo and other antelope have been observed eating specific plants to self medicate. Not just primates.

So this is old news? How embarrassing.

Will I Am Not · 12-01-2018 1:02am

AllForIt wrote: »

What do you mean like assassinate president Trump?

He said intelligent...

Ipso · 12-01-2018 1:06am

AllForIt wrote: »

What do you mean like assassinate president Trump?

Yes, its ok to joke about that. But if someone says to assassinate Obama or Hillary, then they're alt-right.

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 1:10am

Ipso wrote: »

Yes, its ok to joke about that. But if someone says to assassinate Obama or Hillary, then they're alt-right.

Orangutan for president.

banie01 · 12-01-2018 1:14am

AllForIt wrote: »

Orangutan for president.

Weirdly was a 2000a.d/Judge Dredd storyline aling those lunes!
Dave the Orang Utan.

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 1:16am

banie01 wrote: »

Weirdly was a 2000a.d/Judge Dredd storyline aling those lunes!
Dave the Orang Utan.

I'm on to something.

riffmongous · 12-01-2018 1:21am

Ipso wrote: »

Yes, its ok to joke about that. But if someone says to assassinate Obama or Hillary, then they're alt-right.

I'm just glad no one said Obama, considering the H&M thread

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 1:25am

riffmongous wrote: »

I'm just glad no one said Obama, considering the H&M thread

Monkes not so stupid after all, maybe even a compliment in some cases.

Fizzlesque · 12-01-2018 1:25am

AllForIt wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5259125/Orang-utans-use-medicinal-plants-create-ointment.html

Great apes have been observed chewing plants to make an ointment to treat their aching limbs.

Isn't this just proof that the only difference between animals and humans is that our brains are in most cases simply further developed than animals brains and that this planet we live in was not specifically designed for us, not that I think it was designed at all.

I think this possibly shows that animals still know stuff that we used to know before we became disconnected from nature. And before making money became bigger (in some minds) than working with nature and accepting its offerings as a way to make our lives better/healthier.

I don't think it was designed for us at all. One look at our dirty plastic deposits in the sea tells me that we are the blight the planet could most do without.

riffmongous · 12-01-2018 1:28am

AllForIt wrote: »

Monkes not so stupid after all, maybe even a compliment.

Well I'd say monkeys are smarter than the people who made those sort of comments about Obama and his family

Junkyard Tom · 12-01-2018 1:31am

The great thing about animals is that you can eat them for your dinner.

AllForIt · 12-01-2018 1:42am

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

The great thing about animals is that you can eat them for your dinner.

I'm sure your tasty too.

donegaLroad · 12-01-2018 10:15am

Oranage2 wrote: »

Shouldn't we wipe out all the other intelligent animals so they don't try to out-compete us or try to kill us all off.

If it ever gets to a stage where a robot can build another robot which is more intelligent than itself, then it would be a time to start re-assessing how for mankind should continue to advance technology.

mr_edge_to_you · 12-01-2018 10:21am

Before you know it there will be Orangutans on Facebook giving out about Orangutan pharma companies and their conspiracy tactics.

They’ll also be campaigning against modern day vaccination programs in baby Orangutans.

daveyeh · 12-01-2018 10:36am

They'll be refining the poppy next Joe. Where'll we be then? It's a bloody disgrace is what it is.

Fox_In_Socks · 12-01-2018 11:18am

It’s an amazing thing to read alright. Is this passed along through their culture or is it something that is done instinctively?

As regards there being little difference between us and other animals...not true. Our ability to use abstractions and plan and be self aware puts us in almost alien territory

And those that say that we are a blight on the planet? Sure we are in
a way. But we have the ability to see our mistakes and fix them.

Don’t forget that we are in a fight with nature all of the time. We’re going to loose when we die.

suicide_circus · 12-01-2018 11:43am

Didn't orangutan cause HIV?

Billy86 · 12-01-2018 11:52am

AllForIt wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5259125/Orang-utans-use-medicinal-plants-create-ointment.html

Great apes have been observed chewing plants to make an ointment to treat their aching limbs.

Isn't this just proof that the only difference between animals and humans is that our brains are in most cases simply further developed than animals brains and that this planet we live in was not specifically designed for us, not that I think it was designed at all.

I read a few months ago about an experiment ran on a type of bird (it may have been a crows? It was a fairly common one) where they were testing problem solving skills by giving them a puzzle. The bird was smart enough to use a small stick they were given to unlock a second stick, then use that second stick to unlock the prize - I thought that was pretty remarkable.

Took a check there, and either I misremembered the test they ran or I was a bit off on what it was, but it was Hawaiian and New Caledonian crows.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37354588

That task consisted of logs with holes and crevices that were baited with food that was just out of a bill's reach.

"They were able to pick up sticks from the aviary," said Dr Rutz, "and of all the birds we tested, 93% used [the sticks as] tools. This suggests this is a species-wide skill.

"They were incredibly dextrous in the way that they handled the sticks, shortened them when they were too long, and discarded them if they were not happy with them."

Your Face · 12-01-2018 11:54am

suicide_circus wrote: »

Didn't orangutan cause HIV?

And now they're looking to find a cure.

biko · 12-01-2018 12:04pm

Coolest monkey in the jungle

Wibbs · 12-01-2018 12:26pm

AllForIt wrote: »

What I think the report shows is that the difference between animals and humans is much smaller than some would think in terms of mental abilities, emotions etc... thus making a very good case against the idea that this planet was designed specifially for us.

Who says the planet was "designed for us" anymore? Never mind that the difference between us and the rest of the animal world is anything but small. That gulf is massive. Hell, the differences between us and our more recent ancestors like Neandertals et al was a wide one(they also self medicated funny enough).

Take tool use. Some animals use tools alright, but point out one that makes one tool to make another different tool. We've been doing that in our various stages for over a million years.

Fizzlesque wrote: »

I think this possibly shows that animals still know stuff that we used to know before we became disconnected from nature. And before making money became bigger (in some minds) than working with nature and accepting its offerings as a way to make our lives better/healthier.

A huge chunk of modern medicine has developed medications from natural sources.

suicide_circus wrote: »

Didn't orangutan cause HIV?

No. It likely jumped to us from Congolese Chimps, initially via hunting for bush meat in the very early 20th century, then really spreading through the use of dirty needles in large scale African vaccination drives in the 40's and 50's, then via of all things a Haitian blood bank in the 1970's that exported large amounts of plasma to the US.

Forward Volatility Agreement wrote: »

Awaits Wibbs' ten thousand word thesis

I'm below par today.

take everything · 12-01-2018 3:22pm

riffmongous wrote: »

I honestly believe that if you sent an orangutan or chimp through the education system they would come out smarter than some of the people I went to school with

Genuinely made me laugh out loud.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 12-01-2018 4:22pm

I read a really interesting thing about Orcas recently.

Apparently they 'speak' in different dialects.

For instance a North Atlantic Orca communicates differently to a Pacific Orca.

This caused problems when Orcas from different parts of the world were integrated together in Sealife parks.

They are noted to be hostile towards each other.

Discodog · 12-01-2018 4:32pm

We are at the tip of the iceberg in understanding the abilities of animals. We have had dogs as Pets for 3000 years but we have only begun to really research them in the last 30.