SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS: ANIMAL EINSTEINS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of science documentaries hosted by Alan Alda. In the first segment, Alda visits Sally Boysen, a psychology professor who studies animal intelligence. Boysen demonstrates the way that a pig (named Hamlet) is able to identify objects. Then Ron Schusterman of the University of California at Santa Cruz demonstrates that sea lions have the same kind of ability. Next, at the University of Arizona at Tucson, Irene Pepperberg demonstrates the abilities of a parrot named Alex. Alex can not only distinguish objects by shape, color, and material, but he can also count. In the second segment, Schusterman demonstrates the ability of sea lions to comprehend abstract groups, specifically numbers and letters. Boysen also shows that chimpanzees have the same type of abstract thought, and Judy DeLoache of the University of Illinois does a similar experiment with a two and a half year old child.
In the third segment, Alda goes to Puerto Rico, where Susan Carey of New York University and Laurie Santos, a Harvard University graduate student, use "looking time experiments" to demonstrate the ability of rhesus monkeys to count. Renee Baillargeon of the University of Illinois uses a similar experiment with infants, in order to determine if they are surprised when they witness "magical" or impossible events. In the fourth segment, Bernd Heinrich of the University of Vermont does an experiment with ravens to find out how they come up with a solution when faced with a problem that they haven't encountered before. Then Marc Hauser, from Harvard University, does an experiment with cotton topped tamarin monkeys to observe where they expect a dropped object to land; in that way, Hauser can determine how ravens think. In the fifth segment, Emory University's Michael Tomasello demonstrates how chimpanzees use tools. Then Hauser performs a series of experiments with the tamarins to show how adept they are at selecting tools that will best serve their needs. In the sixth segment, Alda takes part in an experiment which requires that he get dressed up like a veterinarian when he goes to visit some of Sally Boysen's chimps. Alda's costume prompts the chimps to warn each other of the approaching danger -- in this case -- a veterinarian and his tranquilizer gun. This experiment proves that the chimps are conscious of another individual's point of view. Janet Astington of the University of Toronto performs similar tests with toddlers, and Hauser does the same with tamarins.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Alan Alda.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 1998
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:46
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:61908
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries; Science/Nature
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animal intelligence - Testing; Chimpanzees; Parrots; Ravens; Rhesus monkeys; Sea lions; Swine
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV Series, 1990-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Angier … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- Graham Chedd … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- Andrew Liebman … Producer, Director, Writer
- Jill Singer … Producer, Director, Writer
- Karin Hoving Mainville … Associate Producer
- Sean Maynard … Animation
- Jed Schwartz … Animation, Series Title Animation
- Sean Moyer … Animation, Series Title Animation
- Andrew Steger-Wilson … Researcher
- Randy Roos … Music by
- Alan Alda … Host
- Janet Astington
- Renee Baillargeon
- Sally Boysen
- Susan Carey
- Judy DeLoache
- Marc Hauser
- Bernd Heinrich
- Irene Pepperberg
- Laurie Santos
- Ron Schusterman
- Michael Tomasello