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Pigeons navigate to their home roosts through hearing the low frequency sounds of the location. Scientists at first theorized that they navigated through magnetic fields and smell but later eliminated these theories after experiments.
Rats have displayed empathy and sharing of food in experiments featuring trapped companions and moral dilemmas (friend or food first?). Bonobos also released other bonobos to allow them to share fruits. Ants bit through nylon trappings to release other ants but only if they were their kin.
Dogs have displayed an understanding of fairness by refusing to 'perform' after repeated unfair treatment (the other test doggies got food for similar actions while they didn't). In another series of experiments, scientists found that the guilty expression that dogs displayed was in response to scolding from their owners and not because of guilt.
Slime mould have inter-cellular communication and can figure the most efficient way through a maze to find a food source.
Bees have a hive mind. In an experiment featuring a choice between 2 new hive locations, scouts came back and wiggle-danced to show the location of the new location. Convinced bees then spread the dance to communicate and convince more bees. They also interrupted the dancing of rival bees who supported the other hive location. Once a critical mass was achieved, they departed en masse to the new location.
Monkeys would steal when no one's looking.
The ability of animals to think, communicate, plan and adapt gives us a better understanding of our once narrow and species-centric conception of intelligence.
The moral sense of animals gives us clues as to how our morals developed and allows us to reflect our own moral concepts. It also imbues us with greater humility and a greater sense of awe as to how we fit in with the the rest of our living world.
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