Amidst the onslaught of news, find time to watch this video of Veronika the cow, who developed the ability to use tools to scratch herself.
RE: https://flipboard.social/@ScienceDesk/115923603355235745
Veronika the cow fans, here's the full text of Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró and Alice M.I. Auersperg article for Cell Biology entitled: "Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow."
"Her behavior was systematic: the broom end served for upper, thick-skinned areas and the stick end for softer ones, showing sensitivity to the mechanical affordances of each task," wrote the authors, who conclude: "She did not fashion tools like the cow in Gary Larson’s cartoon, but she selected, adjusted, and used one with notable dexterity and flexibility. Perhaps the real absurdity lies not in imagining a tool-using cow, but in assuming such a thing could never exist."