When we think of pigs, smart, intelligent, or brilliant are not words that first come to mind. But, in the current issue of Animal Behaviour, researchers introduced evidence that domestic pigs have a keen sense of learning. This is shown in a recent “mirror self-recognition” test that pigs can understand how mirrors work and will use this to reflect images which could help them see their surroundings better. Ultimately, making them find their food much easier. Other researchers have also found that pigs are able to remember where food stores are cached and how big each stash is compared to the rest. They are slow to forget, and are very clever. Researchers have found that pigs are among the quickest animals to demonstrate a new routine, jump hoops, bow and stand, spin and make word like sounds. Last week, an international team of biologists released the first sequence of the pig genome which was the complete set of genetic instructions for making the Duroc breed of Sus scrofus. What researchers found from this is that the pig genome compares much alike to the human genome.
Pigs have been known as farm animals in a stable for up to 8,000 years. But, these new studies can affect humanity. From this information, pigs have been looked at differently. Not just the lazy, dirty, farm animal, but an animal having many physiological and behavioral parallels that compare favorable to humans. “I look at the pig as a great animal model for human lifestyle diseases”, said Dr. Schook. Researchers are now aware that the pig may not just be a domesticated animal, but could possibly be back in the wild holding their own.
This article, “Pigs Prove to Be Smart, if Not Vain” was written very well. It was long and had a lot of detail. It also kept the reader interested by keeping it amusing. One thing that would attract the reader is that we are able to see a well-known animal in a new light. This concept was explained very thoroughly. Overall, I thought this article was interesting, and entertaining.
Angier, Nancy. ""Pigs Prove to Be Smart, if Not Vain"." New York Times Nov. 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2009.
By Amanda Austi
In Amanda’s review of her article, she presented many things very well. One of these things being how she covered all the important information. Without being too brief, she stated all the important aspects of this article and made a very clear point. Secondly, she not only shared the information present in the article, but she also shared her opinion on the topic. This gave us more information and made her presentation much more interesting. Lastly, I think this was a good article choice. Many science current events can be boring and not something I’m interested in, but this article was very interesting. It really shows the world that its not only monkeys that have the capability to develop and learn things that us humans have the ability to do as well.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to maybe make this review even better than it already is, is to maybe include examples of what tests prove that these pigs are smart, and not only lazy farm animals. Also, just give the reader more information on how this can possibly change the future.
The main thing I learned is just that pigs are smart and have the ability to become intelligent and that they actually are not just lazy farm animals. Although that is how pigs are stereotyped, it is very interesting to learn that they too are one of the many kinds of animals that are smart.
In Amandas article her presenting was done extremely well in the way she covered the main topics of her article almost at catagories, Secondly she supported made clear her opinion on her presented as well as her written up remarks on this article. Lastly i like how she connected many details back to the title of this article. One thing that could have improved this article was test of these pigs in relation to other animals to show their intelligence compared to a "lazy farm animal." Also she could have stated how this discovery could help humans with technology or other advances. This was interesting to hear that pigs are very intelligent considering since were in kindergarden we hear pigs are lazy animals.
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