Curious zebrafish and playful bumblebees – animals are more conscious than we think

We are not alone – We believe that we are the only beings with consciousness, but in relation to evolution there is actually no reason to believe that is the case, Elodie Mandel-Briefer tells Verdens Beste Nyheder. She is one of two researchers who have signed the declaration, who work at a Danish university. Originally, 40 of the world’s leading experts signed the New York Declaration, but word spread quickly and at the time of writing, 288 are on the list as peers, who support the message. Two of them are employed at the University of Copenhagen, lecturer Elodie F. Mandel-Briefer and assistant professor Roi Mandel-Briefer. He is employed at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Science. The two are married, which is why they share a surname. – I signed because the declaration wants to move this field completely forward. It does not say that animals are conscious, says Elodie Mandel Briefer. It says that it is extremely likely, if you take what we know into account. In other words, many more animals than we previously thought are conscious to one degree or another, and we researchers should investigate this more. In her office, she has a view of the university park, which in early summer is buzzing with insects and birdsong. It is precisely animal sounds and communication that Elodie Mandel-Briefer focuses on in her research. Roi Mandel-Briefer has an education in cognitive psychology, and has subsequently obtained a doctorate in animal welfare. – We are in an endless process of trying to find what separates us humans from non-human animals, even if it is language, making tools or the ability to feel empathy or act on it, he says. But the more we examine other species, the harder it becomes for us to find those differences. The current holy grail is consciousness, but as research shows, it is likely that it is also something we share with other species. Elodie Mandel-Briefer agrees. – There are many things that we claim are unique to humans, but basically we discover every year that more and more that we thought were unique to humans, are not.



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