The Smartest Animal on Earth

Which animal on Earth is the smartest? Of course, it's humans! We, humans, are the only rational species. And that's true.

However, Gilles Macagne, familiar to our readers from the wonderful book "Harmful or Helpful: Animals with a Bad Reputation," suggests looking at the issue more broadly. To begin with, the question itself is not quite right. Even the heroes of the book ridicule it, as a poorly phrased question will not yield a satisfactory answer. And if we approach its resolution from a scientific, rather than an emotional, perspective, we will see: the intelligence of each animal is adapted for the survival of its species.

Moreover, numerous studies and experiments show that animal intelligence and mentality are much more complex than we imagined just a couple of decades ago. The right testing methods can reveal much about how animals think, feel, choose options, and solve problems. The abilities that nature has endowed animals with correspond to their way of life and their daily tasks. All animals are smart in their own way and well-prepared for the challenges of life in their environment.

But that’s not all! Many animals can demonstrate very complex behavior: they get upset over injustice, care for their kin, argue with them, entertain themselves, play, deceive, feel sad and happy, calculate benefits, and sometimes, conversely, come to help without any expectation of reward. One can't help but ponder: just how far have we really drifted from them?