via BoingBoing, I learn of “technology hacker” Joshua Klein. Klein has developed a vending machine that teaches crows to use itself. Klein postulates that if crows (I assume we’re talking Corvus brachyrhnchos here) can be taught to find coins and bring them to a predetermined location for a reward, they might also be trainable to do things like picking up litter, or even search and rescue.
Is this domestication? Is it half a domestication? What kind of unintended consequences can we expect? (This isn’t a cynical question; there are ALWAYS unintended consequences, and they aren’t necessarily good or bad.) If this were to become a widespread program, would the food rewards be enough to sustain a significantly increased crow population/ population density, and if so, how will this impact the spread of avian disease and the populations of critters that crows prey on? If a crow who has been so trained gets into a cash register, is the vending machine operator liable in any way?
March 5, 2008 at 8:16 am
It’s that last question that comes to mind instantly. Like in the original article: he took away the coins and the crows got them from somewhere else.
Will it still be safe for old grannies to go for a walk in the park alone?
March 5, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Exactly. I see this potentially becoming a big problem for buskers, panhandlers, and people with shiny round bits of jewelry.
March 7, 2008 at 12:20 pm
The next horror story after “Invasive Species”?