Month: September 2023

Enlarge (credit: John Dreyer)

Whether playing tricks, mimicking speech, or holding “funerals,” crows and ravens (collectively known as corvids) have captured the public’s attention due to their unexpected intelligence. Thanks to results from a new Current Biology study, our understanding of their capabilities only continues to grow, as researchers from the University of Tübingen found for the first time that crows can perform statistical reasoning. These results can help scientists better understand the evolution of intelligence (and may give us a better appreciation of what’s going on in our backyard).

Bird brains

With a population of over 27 million and counting, crows seem almost ubiquitous across the US. Their loud “caws” are hard to miss, and the tone of these cries varies depending on what the birds are communicating. Like other corvids, crows have a large brain for their size and a particularly pronounced forebrain, which is associated with statistical and analytical reasoning in humans. Thanks to these attributes, ornithologists and animal behaviorists have found crows doing various “intelligent” activities, such as using twigs as tools to extract bugs from tree bark. Some experts have even classified corvids as having the same intelligence as a 7-year-old child.

Beyond using tools, corvids can also do basic mathematical functions, like adding or subtracting. “In the scheme of the natural world, very few animals are demonstrated to possess much in the way of mathematical intelligence (beyond basic numerical discrimination)—things like numerical competence, an understanding of arithmetic, abstract thinking, and symbolic representation,” explained Dr. Kaeli Swift, a postdoctoral researcher in bird behavior at the University of Washington (she was not involved in the Current Biology study). “That several corvid species have been demonstrated to possess some of these skills makes them quite special.”

Enlarge / There's a new grille for the F-150, among other tweaks for 2024. (credit: Ford)

Ford has just revealed the mid-life refresh for its popular F-150 pickup truck. Among the changes to the F-150 lineup are standard LED lights, a new grille, new wheel designs, and standard Sync 4 infotainment across the range.

Ford has dropped the naturally aspirated 3.3 L V6 as the entry-level motor, replacing it with a turbocharged 2.7 L V6 EcoBoost. But from our perspective, the most interesting news to come from this update is that there's now no price difference between the best-selling turbocharged 3.5 L V6 EcoBoost engine and the hybrid 3.5L V6 PowerBoost.

"We're making hybrid more accessible to our customers, giving them the power of choice by offering it at the same price as the 3.5-liter EcoBoost. This is the latest example of Ford democratizing technology for all truck customers," said Andrew Frick, vice president of sales and trucks at Ford Blue, the division of the company responsible for internal combustion engine-powered vehicles.