New Scientist reported a discovery that Asian elephant “recognised that three plus four is greater than one plus five” (notice that NS uses ‘-ise’! Hmm…). A youtube video is embedded on the web page.

I remember another elephant studies on its self-recognition in 2006 on PNAS. The elephant recognized from the mirror itself by touching its own head rather than the image in the mirror, video available here.

I also know something called “elephant paint” in the world. But I tend to believe those are trained, abused probably. But this video is one in youtube that I feel orz (orz is a Chinese word means just orz). The elephant just couldn’t understand why these men were so happy when it tapped that board repeatedly. It didn’t seem to have much fun doing this. It may not be angry with a plain board and want to paint something on it I guess. But one of the men said the painting was very Dumboism. The most hilarious scene is near the end of this video. They gave the elephant a sculpture of human head to paint and it just painted that head randomly as it did on a white board. They then let it push air through a weird tiny thing that will have some voice, and shake another thing that ring. They kept letting the elephant repeat things that it may feel more stupid than what it used to do everyday. At last the elephant couldn’t stand for all these and cried…

Oh I love elephants!