Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Also birds for bipedalism. At the extreme we have ostriches and emus.

BTW: cockatoos also have strikingly manipulative feet, which they use in combination with their beak (though they can't use both feet simultaneously). And a surprisingly high brain/body ratio. Although they lack a prefrontal cortex, birds have separately developed a different structure, called the hyperpallium. There's no necessary barrier for birds evolving sapience independently from our line (any more than for aliens) - and there's no reason that the architecture of our brains must be better/more efficient.



Arguably, if Dr. Irene Pepperberg's work with Alex the African grey parrot is to be believed, bird sapience has already been demonstrated.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: