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    Smart chimp solves memory puzzle at unbelievable speed

    Ayumu the chimp is called "the world's greatest animal mind." The primate can solve a complex memory test faster than you can blink, really.

    In just 60 milliseconds, the 11-year-old can remember the location and order of a set of numbers.

    Watch the chimp below:

    io9 explains the test:

    "In this case, that information is the position of Arabic numerals on a touch-sensitive screen. Ayumu is shown the numbers 1—9 on the computer screen, and given just a fraction of a second to commit their randomized location to memory. Once that fraction of a second is up, the numbers are covered with white squares, at which point Ayumu must select them in numerical order."

    How does he do it? There are two theories.

    The first theory says that Ayumu is able to commit a complete picture of an intricate scale or pattern to memory, something called "eidetic imagery."

    The second theory suggests the chimp is subitizing, which means he can "look at a small number of items and automatically know how many of each are present," Buzzfeed explains.

    Read more about the test here.

    Ayumu lives and trains at the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University. He's the son of super-smart chimpanzee Ai, "whose intelligence has been studied for over 30 years by Professor Tetsuro Matsuzawa," the BBC reports.

    What do you feel about this article?

     

    99 comments

    • polarbare  •  Pickering, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      When the Russians sent an astronaut and monkey in space together, they both had a letter with instructions. The monkey's letter told him to take readings on instruments and report back to earth. The astronaut's letter said......feed the monkey.
      • A Yahoo! User 3 months ago
        that's funny... really..
      • hughtrafalgar 3 months ago
        Whoever gave you the thumbs down is a JERK.
      • Yahoo user 3 months ago
        hey thats cool! lol
    • Ian  •  Victoria, British Columbia  •  3 months ago
      My boss always said he could get a chimp to replace me. He's probably not as good at surfing for porn as discretely as I am though.
      • Roddy 3 months ago
        that actually doesn't sound hard at all with today's technology. so yes a chimp could replace you.
      • George 3 months ago
        Not so, Roddy. There is a lot less chimp porn than regular porn on the net so I think Ian's job is safe.
      • Roddy 3 months ago
        look it up if you want
    • James  •  Edmonton, Alberta  •  3 months ago
      Faster than a a human? Let us not forget that we are animals as well no matter how highly we think of ourselves.
      • Sean Lin 3 months ago
        Exactly what I was thinking
      • Private Email 3 months ago
        I got attacked by a Canadian Goose once. There was no negotiating with it...I turned animal pretty damn quick. ... funny story now...not at the time.
      • theend 3 months ago
        I agree. The human is an animal however too many seem to have forgotten that or are so arrogant that they think themselves better than any other species out there.
    • Hung  •  Vancouver, British Columbia  •  3 months ago
      aw crap...i forgot what i was gonna write!
      • abel 3 months ago
        I like your comment Hung!
    • Derek  •  Hamilton, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      It would be kind of spooky if his name was Ceaser LOL.
    • Daniel G.  •  Hamilton, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      Gee, the GOP may have found their candidate!
      • Joe 3 months ago
        The GOP isn't smart enough
    • mahigan  •  3 months ago
      what, humans aren't animals?
    • mdw_cdc  •  Hamilton, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      This chimp is smarter than our Privy Council members who can't seem to tell the difference between 1200 and 5800 in dollars of course
    • just me  •  Prince George, British Columbia  •  3 months ago
      WOW! That blows my mind... I don't doubt the intelligence of animals, but that kind of photographic memory, or whatever he's experiencing, is SO amazing.
    • Cadillac Bill  •  North Stormont, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      I've seen Crows smarter.!
    • Private Email  •  3 months ago
      Take a look at a child...they don't have any of the distractions of an adult and can therefore process amazing details. My daughter could spot a Dora the Explorer Tshirt from 100 meters away in a crowded grocery store when it was facing sideways...cause that was one of the only thing her brain cared about at that time....I can't remember my middle name anymore cause I have 40 million details floating around up there.
    • Diane  •  Calgary, Alberta  •  3 months ago
      He's smarter than most people......
    • Ron  •  Huron-Kinloss, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      ya but is he smarter than a 5th grader??
    • bob  •  Toronto, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      I think he should run for President.
    • Hunter  •  3 months ago
      The More I know, The More I Know, I Don't Know!
    • Guy C  •  Calgary, Alberta  •  3 months ago
      Absolutely amazing!
    • Fern  •  Toronto, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      Do you think he could remember where we parked the car?
    • Tony  •  Ottawa, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      Would have been nice to be able to watch the video.
    • Merrykissmas  •  Vancouver, British Columbia  •  3 months ago
      "Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty human"
    • Steve  •  Montreal, Quebec  •  3 months ago
      This chimp could do a better job than most of our MPs. At least it would remember Canada's population.
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