Mirror mirror on the wall!
No human can ever resist the temptation of looking at the mirror! It is because they see a face he or she is so familiar with! It gives you a sense of calm and consistency! Or any other reason you can think of to stare at yourself!
But do you know about the Mirror test!?
What scientists call the mirror test is used to determine whether an animal has the ability of visual self-recognition, which is considered a marker of intelligence in animals.
The was developed by psychologist Gordon Gallup in 1970, and involves placing a visual marker — like a red spot — on an animal’s body. Scientists proceed to observe what happens when the animal is placed in front of the mirror, watching the animal’s reaction both to their reflection with and without the marker. If an animal passes the mirror test, they will usually adjust their body position in a way so they can get a better look at the marker on their body and pay more attention to that part of their body. This suggests that the animal knows something is different about their reflection.
Now every normal person when encountering a mirror would stop and at least take a glance at the mirror!
This means that the human or the animal for that matter recognises the fact that there is something different about the reflection or the fact that it is a ‘reflection’!
You would assume that all humans and most animals would pass this test! Well, humans do pass it after the age of 18 months or so and only a few animals pass it! At least in studies since we of course cannot ask them!
Like cats and dogs do not usually pass the test (at least not officially!)
Most primates like your distant cousins…I mean the homo sapien’s distant cousin like the Chimps and Baboons pass it in most studies!
The interesting thing is that even Dolphins pass the test since it is anyway a Mammal!
Then again there is another proper fish which in 2019, the cleaner wrasses — which are tiny tropical reef fish — were the first fish to pass the mirror test!
Moreover in 2008, Eurasian magpies were the first non-mammals to pass the mirror test!
Another interesting observation was when ants were found to pass the test!
It is not very surprising since ants are an incredibly social group of insects and have displayed impressive teamwork abilities, such as relocating their entire colony!
So a study found that three species, Myrmica rubra, Myrmica ruginodis, and Myrmica sabuleti have shown potential for self-recognition!
When exposed to a mirror, ants of all three species marked with a blue dot would attempt to clean themselves by touching the mark. Similar results were not exhibited when ants were marked with a brown dot, which is the same color as their body. It appears that the ants used their mirror reflection to see the unusual blue dot and attempt to clean it! Now maybe it was because the dots were blue and not red! In any case it does make them Mirror worthy!
Of course I have always mentioned how at the end of the day you are answerable to the man or woman in the mirror and be proud of him or her!
Of course if you are Shivaji Maharaj then even the mirror would be proud!
Har har Mahadev!
Shubh ratri
Jai hind!
ramadocblog 