Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy make a strong case for the anecdotal in animal behaviour in When Elephants Weep (Vintage, £6.99, ISBN 0 09 947891 9), a plea for consideration of the feelings of others. In this case, others are animals. But it’s odd to hear that scientists have neglected animal emotions when the book is full of evidence to the contrary from Darwin to Jane Goodall. And it shows that we don’t even yet agree on how to classify human emotions, let alone those of other animals.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
News
Life
New-to-science spider builds trap that flings ants into the air
News
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
Features
Mind
‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?
Comment
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
2
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
3
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again
4
We've found a mysterious substance on Titan and Pluto
5
Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity
6
Most portable air conditioners suck – but there's an easy fix
7
New-to-science spider builds trap that flings ants into the air
8
The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age
9
Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?
10
A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp
