The question as to whether animals make plans for the future, as Franje seemed to be doing, is one that science is currently quite preoccupied with. Even if the initial observation is simple (an ape collects a pile of straw), the repercussions can be enormous. As a result, we are rather slow to accept conclusions, and disagreement lurks around every corner. We go through a long process of watching our animals, being intrigued and surprised by their actions, systematically testing our ideas about them, and arguing with colleagues over what the data actually mean. The science fiction novelist Isaac Asimov reportedly once said, “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ but ‘That’s funny.’” I know this thought all too well. But those stories inspire observations and experiments that do help us sort out what’s going on. I never cease wondering about the mental level at which animals operate, even as I know full well that a single story is not enough to draw conclusions.
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