On Friday, we published an essay I wrote with Alex Dixon on new discoveries in animal sharing and cooperation. Today, my pal Ariane shared this amazing video of bird cooperation in action:
I wonder if that's what Facebook friend networks would look like, if translated into a similar image?
Comments
Anonymous wrote on 11.10.09, 12:37pm:
Isn't that the definition of cooperation-figuring out as a group where to fly next? Non-cooperation would be each of them saying, "Fuck this!" and then flying off in separate directions. There's obviously some advantage to them sticking together as a group, which perhaps someone who studies these things could explain to us. It's only accidentally beautiful to look at.
Anonymous wrote on 11.10.09, 12:38pm:
Actually, you know what this reminds me of? That white grocery bag in the movie "American Beauty."
Anonymous wrote on 11.17.09, 1:43am:
There is an ecological purpose to this:
Firstly with great numbers, you are less likely to get predated upon individually, so it is a case of sticking together to avoid you yourself getting eaten, you see this with sardines and other swarm animals.
Also it is said that this flying behaviour is a way to census the numbers their population are attaining. I guess they have a way of knowing how many they are by the time it takes for a message to spread throughout the swarm (veer right for example)
hope this helps!
Not sure it is co-operation so much, more likely trying to figure out as a group where to fly next.