FlipFact of the Day: Elephants have been observed to display empathic behavior (e.g. comforting their friends, mourning their dead).
Research has shown that elephants are capable of detecting and responding to another elephant’s pain.
On numerous occasions, scientists have observed empathy in elephants, from offering sympathetic concern to their distressed companions to seemingly mourning their dead.
However, the science regarding this remains incomplete. More data is needed to understand exactly why they exhibit these behaviors from an evolutionary perspective, as they seem to be driven primarily by some sort of emotion, and not any survival-related need.
Read some examples of how elephants display intelligence and emotions here.
Today’s Science History Milestone: On September 19, 1988, Israel launched its first observation satellite, Ofeq-1, via a Shavit rocket from Palmachim Airbase on the Mediterranean coast. Upon doing so, it became the eighth nation to gain an indigenous launch capability
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Cover image: Shutterstock
References
- https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/blogs/understanding-emotional-lives-elephants
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
