Scientists have found that fish can count

Neuroscientists have determined that zebrafish understand how many objects are in front of them. This behavior helps animals avoid danger.

In popular culture, fish are considered stupid. But according to new data, these animals have a "quantity sense." So consider authors of an analytical article based on 200 studies describing the behavior of zebrafish.

Of course, the abilities of fish are not similar to human ones. But zebrafish, for example, can look at two reefs and see which has more cover. Or to understand where the shark is swimming from - by the number of fish swimming away from it.

Other animals also have the simplest counting skills. Among them are bees, bears, chickens, chimpanzees, crows.

Scientists consider zebrafish "ideal models" for studying the molecular and genetic properties of the sense of quantity. One of the authors of the article, Professor Giorgio Vallortigara, explained: “The zebrafish have a relatively simple nervous system, and their genome is very similar to the human genome.”

Biologists hope the new data will help them advance in solving problems with people's number recognition. Many of them are caused by diseases of the nervous system that can and should be treated.