Ronan the sea lion gits down to Boogie Wonderland
April 1, 2013 8:21 PM Subscribe
Ronan keeping the beat | Sea Lion is First Non-Human Mammal to Keep a Beat | Study done at the Pinniped Cognition & Sensory Systems Laboratory.
So now I wanna play some of the weirder Zappa, or maybe Mars Volta for him. Can he find the beat in Take Five?
posted by cmoj at 10:16 PM on April 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by cmoj at 10:16 PM on April 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
The article mentions that our ability to move in time with an (anticipated) beat was considered to be something uniquely human and possibly linked with our language capabilities and our bipedal balance system. So this might change all that theory - not just a cute animal video. I'd recommend Howard Goodall's Documentary on Rhythm for some of the background.
posted by rongorongo at 2:14 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by rongorongo at 2:14 AM on April 2, 2013
Headbanging is the most primitive form of musical appreciation.
posted by pracowity at 3:34 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by pracowity at 3:34 AM on April 2, 2013
Now sea lions have better dance moves than I do? Great.
posted by orme at 3:56 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by orme at 3:56 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Poor sea lion, exposed to such lack-luster beats. How about a bit of Tyler, or at least some intelligent drum and bass.
posted by nickrussell at 4:24 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by nickrussell at 4:24 AM on April 2, 2013
Ronan, the lead singer of VNV Nation, does much the same thing only for burgers, not fish. That and he also writes music and sings pretty good as well.
posted by Randwulf at 4:52 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by Randwulf at 4:52 AM on April 2, 2013
Those beats seemed to be the same in the songs they showed. For me to be convinced, I need a wider variety of beats (slow, fast, not 4/4 time).
posted by evening at 4:58 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by evening at 4:58 AM on April 2, 2013
This is pretty much how every frat guy I knew back in the '70s reacted to every single song. Many did not in fact keep the beat, however, so I'd have to say the sea lion is way ahead, and probably smells better too.
posted by kinnakeet at 5:48 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by kinnakeet at 5:48 AM on April 2, 2013
There is a certain Beluga whale that absolutely loves mariachi.
posted by OneThinDime at 6:27 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by OneThinDime at 6:27 AM on April 2, 2013
Chimpanzees feeling the Beat of the Drum
posted by stbalbach at 7:29 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by stbalbach at 7:29 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Good one stbalbach. I think the Pinniped Cognition & Sensory Systems Lab should see that vid. I would have thought chimps would have been the first non-human mammal tested for beat recognition.
posted by nickyskye at 7:39 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by nickyskye at 7:39 AM on April 2, 2013
I think there should be a scientific study conducted on how and why I find it so compelling to bop my head along with a video of a dancing sea-lion. Oh, internet - cornucopia of self-discovery.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 8:11 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by Baby_Balrog at 8:11 AM on April 2, 2013
Chimpanzees feeling the Beat of the Drum
The problem with that video is the total lack of a control. It's not clear to me that the chimpanzees would have behaved any differently had the drumming not been going on. It's just too easy for us to interpret an animal swaying or shuffling back and forth as some kind of "dance"--but chimpanzees will do that with or without music.
posted by yoink at 8:55 AM on April 2, 2013
The problem with that video is the total lack of a control. It's not clear to me that the chimpanzees would have behaved any differently had the drumming not been going on. It's just too easy for us to interpret an animal swaying or shuffling back and forth as some kind of "dance"--but chimpanzees will do that with or without music.
posted by yoink at 8:55 AM on April 2, 2013
If you watch to the end they have the CUTEST LOGO EVAR.
posted by emjaybee at 9:24 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by emjaybee at 9:24 AM on April 2, 2013
In sadder sea lion news: Hundreds of Stranded Sea Lion Pups Along California Coast Perplex Researchers, Depress World
posted by homunculus at 8:31 PM on April 2, 2013
posted by homunculus at 8:31 PM on April 2, 2013
« Older The Dapper Rebels of Los Angeles, 1966 | Escape From The Planet Of The Pink Monkey Birds Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by empath at 8:45 PM on April 1, 2013