Insects have surprisingly rich inner lives—a revelation that has wide-ranging ethical implications
In the early 1990s, when I was a Ph.D. student at the Free University of Berlin modeling the evolution of bee color perception, I asked a botany professor for some advice about flower pigments. I wanted to know the degrees of freedom that flowers have in producing colors to signal to bees. He replied, rather furiously, that he was not going to engage in a discussion with me, because I worked in a neurobiological laboratory where invasive procedures on live honeybees were performed.
Signs of Intelligence The conventional wisdom about insects has been that they are automatons—unthinking, unfeeling creatures whose behavior is entirely hardwired. But in the 1990s researchers began making startling discoveries about insect minds. It's not just the bees. Some species of wasps recognize their nest mates' faces and acquire impressive social skills.
Why would insects consume mind-altering substances if there isn't a mind to alter? But these suggestive hints of negative and positive mind states still fell short of what was needed to demonstrate that insects are sentient. Other work suggests that bees can experience not only optimism but also joy. Some years ago we trained bumblebees to roll tiny balls to a goal area to obtain a nectar reward—a form of object manipulation equivalent to human usage of a coin in a vending machine. In the course of these experiments, we noticed that some bees rolled the balls around even when no sugar reward was being offered. We suspected that this might be a form of play behavior.
This finding alone is not a decisive proof that bees experience pain, but it is consistent with that notion, and it is only one of several indicators. Bees and other insects also form long-term memories about the conditions under which they were hurt. And they have specialized sensors that detect tissue damage and are connected to brain regions that also process and store other sensory stimuli. These creatures have the necessary neural equipment to modulate pain experiences by top-down control.
The treatment of insects in scientific laboratories also deserves consideration. Insects transmit some of the deadliest human diseases, so research into how they can be controlled is obviously important. In addition, we could develop remedies for a variety of human health disorders by studying their molecular genetic and neurobiological underpinnings in insects such as fruit flies.
This claim is demonstrably incorrect for all insect species tested so far. Science tells us that the methods used to kill farmed insects—including baking, boiling and microwaving—have the potential to cause intense suffering. And it's not like they're being sacrificed for a great cause. The bulk of the industry does not actually seek to replace human consumption of vertebrate meat with insects.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Adele Lim’s R-Rated Comedy ‘Joy Ride’ Was Originally Called ‘Joy F— Club’The working title for Adele Lim’s new comedy “Joy Ride” was “Joy Fuck Club.” It’s a profane callback to “The Joy Luck Club,” a multigenerational family saga that broke ground. But if “Joy Ride” bui…
Consulte Mais informação »
Chimney swifts swoop through the air catching flying insectsHomeowners can install chimney swift towers to help the insect-eating birds nest.
Consulte Mais informação »
Are these bugs in your garden now?From lace bugs to tent caterpillars, spider mites and milkweed beetles, these insects might be eating your plants.
Consulte Mais informação »
TikTok star Britney Joy, 35, her mom dead in car crash: ‘They were my best friends’The TikTok star, who boasted over 400,000 followers on the platform, died beside her mom while the pair were traveling to a Juneteenth celebration in Houston, Texas.
Consulte Mais informação »
Joy Behar mourns 'stupidity' of missing Titanic sub crisis: 'It's very sad''The View' co-host Joy Behar said the missing Titanic tourist submersible went down due to 'human incompetence' and 'stupidity,' just like the ocean liner itself.
Consulte Mais informação »
The joy of asada: How Los Angeles grillsIn 'backyards across Southern California, an asada represents more than just meat,' say Bricia Lopez in the cookbook 'Asada.' 'It means family, friends, memories, great music, cold drinks, good times and the community you've built.'
Consulte Mais informação »