Spiders’ web-building activities are not just about capturing prey, but also serve as an extension of their cognitive processes. This is the finding of a study by Hilton Japyassú, a biologist at the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil, and Kevin Laland, an evolutionary biologist at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They posit that a spider’s web is an information-processing hub, where the arachnid can store information, solve problems, and even plan its day.
The researchers argue that this is an example of extended cognition, where an organism uses its environment to aid its thinking processes. This theory challenges the traditional view of cognition as a process that happens solely within the brain. The idea is that the spider’s web serves as an external cognitive system, helping the spider to sense its environment, make decisions, and even remember information.
This research could have significant implications for understanding animal cognition more broadly. It suggests that we should look beyond the brain when trying to understand how animals think and behave. It also opens up the possibility of a new field of study, exploring how animals use their environments to aid their cognitive processes.
Go to source article: https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-thoughts-of-a-spiderweb-20170523