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Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

BBC Earth

85K views 5 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear the title “Are Humans Smarter Than Animals?”, what examples of animal intelligence do you think of?
What does the phrase “Animal Einsteins” suggest the video will show?
Do you think it’s possible to measure intelligence in the same way for humans and animals? Why/why not?

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Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

Can we rank animal intelligence? (00:00 – 01:00)

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1. What does the speaker suggest about ranking animals by intelligence?

It is easy if you use the same tests for all species.
It only works for mammals, not insects or fish.
It is possible if you measure brain size.
It is a “fool’s errand” because it’s hard to compare different animals fairly.

2. Why is it difficult to compare intelligence across species, according to the speaker?

Scientists already know what intelligence means for all species.
Animals are not interested in solving problems.
Humans can do every animal skill, so comparisons are fair.
Animals have evolved to be good at what they need in their natural environments.

3. What point is made with the example about humans and echolocation?

Humans can ecolocate better than fish.
Fish are easy to train compared to humans.
You shouldn’t judge an animal using abilities it doesn’t need (or you don’t have).
Echolocation is the best definition of intelligence.

Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

Surprising skills: bees and dogs (01:00 – 02:04)

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1. How is training a bee compared to training another animal?

It is impossible because insects can’t learn.
It is easier than training a dog because bees never make mistakes.
It is a bit like training a dog.
It is exactly like training a horse.

2. What are dogs described as being especially good at?

Echolocating in dark caves
Building webs to catch prey
Flying long distances to find food
Figuring humans out (reading and understanding what we want)

3. Why is the speaker surprised by the honey bee’s abilities?

Because only mammals can show sophisticated behavior
Because it has a very large brain compared to humans
Because it cannot learn new choices correctly
Because it is an insect with so few cells in its brain, yet shows sophistication

Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

Spider webs and different kinds of intelligence (02:04 – 03:15)

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1. If a spider were the size of a human, how big would its web be (according to the speaker)?

The size of a tennis court
The size of a city block
The size of a cricket pitch
The size of a small room

2. What does the speaker say about the strength of the web material (when scaled up)?

It would be weaker than cotton.
It would tear easily in the wind.
It would only be able to catch insects.
It would be able to catch small airplanes.

3. What kind of challenge is linked to a “different type of intelligence”?

Navigating an environment that changes at a rapid pace and to extreme degrees
Learning to speak human languages
Counting the number of brain cells precisely
Climbing trees to find food

Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

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1. What is the main message of the video about animal intelligence?

Different species show different kinds of intelligence, shaped by their environments.
Intelligence is single and universal, so animals can be ranked easily.
Only animals with big brains can solve problems.
Humans are always smarter than animals because we can define intelligence clearly.

2. Which idea best matches the phrase “You can’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree” in the video?

Only physical skills matter, not problem-solving.
Abilities should be evaluated in a context that makes sense for the species.
Fish are less intelligent than tree-climbing animals.
All animals should be tested with human school exams.

3. Why does the video mention animals like bees, dogs, and spiders?

To argue that intelligence equals brain cell count
To give examples of surprising and diverse cognitive abilities across species
To show that only pets can be intelligent
To prove that insects are smarter than mammals

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Are Humans Smarter Than Animals? | Animal Einsteins | BBC Earth

Do you agree that ranking animals by intelligence is a “fool’s errand”? Why or why not?
What is one ability an animal has that humans don’t (or can’t do well)? How might that change how we define intelligence?
The video suggests dogs are good at “reading us.” Why might living closely with humans affect dog intelligence?
Should we measure intelligence by brain size/cell count, or by behavior and problem-solving? Explain your view.