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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

The Innovation Arena: A Method for Comparing Innovative Problem-Solving Across Groups
Published on: May 13, 2022
New Caledonian crows afford invaluable comparative insights into human cumulative technological culture
Christian Rutz1,2, Gavin R Hunt3
1Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St AndrewsKY16 9TH, UKchristian.rutz@st-andrews.ac.ukhttps://aviantooluse.org.
Abstract:
The New Caledonian crow may be the only non-primate species exhibiting cumulative technological culture. Its foraging tools show clear signs of diversification and progressive refinement, and it seems likely that at least some tool-related information is passed across generations via social learning. Here, we explain how these remarkable birds can help us uncover the basic biological processes driving technological progress.
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