Dardy found an article that features an Australian diver’s photographs which document, for the first time ever, a fish using “tools.” It was suspected that fish may use tools to help them, but it was never shown until these photos. The article explores the definition of tool usage — some say because the fish used its mouth to hold and break a clam against a rock, that it’s not tool use because it didn’t hold the tool. Others say tool use shouldn’t be defined by hand-holding, because there are species that don’t have the same limbs and appendages but still use something to help it do something else. And what about people who lost or are unable to use their limbs, but who use their mouths to accomplish tasks? Are they not using tools?

So Dardy comments, “fish may use tools? what is the definition of using tools? (fish have no limbs.) still pretty cool.”
Me: I’ve seen my dad’s parrotfish pick up a mouthful of pebbles to spit at another fish invading its territory, so I guess that’s like using tools, too.
Dardy: pretty cool. “unintelligent” animals showing signs of intelligence is a nice surprise.
Dardy: the next thing you know, an amoeba will be writing poetry.
Me: I would LOVE to read amoebic poetry!
“In cool viscous flows
I drift and ooze with the rest
Invisibly by”

Yay, I read the mind of an amoeba and wrote down the haiku it composed (since it can’t use tools yet to write or type). Rebecca had implied a couple of times today that I’m more psychic than I realize. Funnily enough, that topic was touched upon, too. Continuing on the thread of conversation comments:

Me: Have you seen “I Am Legend?” It explores “unintelligence”/”desocialization” as perceived (erroneously) by man, i.e. Will Smith.
Dardy’s friend Neal: Cindy… That’s sort of freaky you said that. Two posts above this one on my [social networking feed], a friend just linked something that has a picture from “I Am Legend” o_O
Me: we’re all tapping into the same psychic marrow! 🙂
Neal: Apparently! Spooky…
Dardy: wow, that’s great amoebic poetry. i haven’t seen the movie.
Me: Yeah, that’s one talented amoeba.