NewsBite

Don’t swat fruit flies – they’re smarter than you probably think

Don’t swat fruit flies – they’re smarter than you probably think

Researchers say many species, from insects to invertebrates, have consciousness. It turns out humans aren’t so special, after all.

Ed Cumming

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Subscribe now

Already a subscriber?

Elephants mourn their dead, octopuses play catch, grey parrots recognise themselves in the mirror. But how about crabs that weigh up decisions, bees that play games, and fruit flies that dream?

The past decade has brought rapid developments in the field of animal consciousness, upending widely held assumptions about which sorts of animals exhibit signs of consciousness.

Loading...

The Telegraph London

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Subscribe now

Already a subscriber?

Read More

Latest In Technology

Fetching latest articles

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/technology/don-t-swat-fruit-flies-you-could-hurt-their-feelings-20240430-p5fnnv