00:00Bees are pretty amazing creatures. They have a structured social hierarchy, they produce honey, and they pollinate our plants.
00:09Now a new study has revealed yet another incredible skill. They cooperate.
00:13Researchers wanted to see how these worker insects stacked up against the likes of much more intelligent creatures, like dolphins, wolves, and chimps.
00:20So they trained some bees to complete a task in exchange for a sugary reward.
00:24Finding that before coming back to complete the task again, they would wait for their partner, who they had trained with before.
00:30As you can see here, despite identifying where the sugary treat is, the bee seems to loiter while its partner is held back by experimenters.
00:36When the other bee returns, however, they go straight towards the block of styrofoam and get their reward.
00:41In another test, with each bee in a separate clear tunnel, you can see more clearly each bee searching for their partner before attempting to complete a similar task.
00:49With the researchers writing as part of the study, quote,
00:52The study's findings challenge conventional notions of insects, and the ability to work together towards a common goal is present, even in the miniature brain of bumblebees.
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