Find out fish proof can do math too!

04/04/2022 18:15 GMT+7

Some fish can tell the difference between a higher number and a lower number, but it is not clear if they can perform the computational tasks of adding and subtracting numbers together.

Scientists from the University of Bonn, Germany have studied the brains of several fish species and the results are surprising.

The Zebra mbuna fish has the ability to perform addition and subtraction within 5

The brain of some species such as stingrays, Zebra mbuna fish has the ability to calculate, add and subtract like humans. The researchers came to the conclusion after conducting tests on several fish species.

To train the fish, the researchers showed them cards in turn. On the card are blue boxes for addition, and yellow for subtraction with different amounts.

For example, the fish is shown the blue card number 3, adding the number 1, the fish must find the box number 4. If a fish swims through the correct gate, they will be rewarded.

Stingrays have the ability to do math

The researchers discovered that Zebra mbuna, a species of tilapia and stingray, has the ability to add and subtract numbers from 1 to 5.

Researcher Vera Schluessel and colleagues performed on eight Zebra mbuna fish and eight manta rays.

The researchers found that six of the Zebra mbuna fish and three of the stingrays were able to associate blue with addition and yellow with subtraction.

On average, the Zebra mbuna fish learned the calculations after 28 lessons and the stingray after 68 lessons. For them, addition is easier than subtraction.

In the addition test, Zebra mbuna fish chose 296 correct answers out of 381, accounting for 78% of the test, and stingrays chose 169 correct answers out of 180, accounting for 94%.

In the subtraction test, the Zebra mbuna fish correctly selected 264 correct answers out of 381 questions and the stingray correctly selected 161 questions out of 180 questions.

The results of the study show that fish are more likely to have cognition, and even to the same extent, as birds and mammals. Previously, researchers had found that mathematical abilities also appear in gorillas, monkeys, dolphins, elephants, birds, salamanders, even bees and spiders.

Hoang Dung (translation summary)