Are You Smarter than Flipper?

If tuna is the “chicken of the sea,” dolphins may soon be labeled the “non-human person of the sea.” According to this report, scientists are suggesting that because dolphins are so bright, they should be treated as “non-human persons" and qualify for "moral standing as individuals."

The lucky mammals bumped the chimpanzees down the hierarchy as the most intelligent animal in the world next to humans. And because it has advance communications and sensory skills, the dolphin may have the potential to overtake dogs for the title of man’s BFF. But most alarming, it beat unborn human beings for the scientist’s seal of approval to allow rights equal to those of already-born humans. Unless human fetuses can learn to find shapes underwater or jump through hula hoops, it won't be long before we'll see bumper stickers that say “my dolphin is smarter than your honor roll student.”

(Adapted from The Point blog)

(Image from brgps.edu)