By Tim Binnall
Israeli researchers studying animal behavior managed to pull of a rather remarkable feat by teaching a goldfish to drive a tiny robotic car. The intriguing experiment was reportedly the brainchild of scientists from Ben-Gurion University who wondered if an animal's navigational skills were dependent on their environment or if these abilities transcend their setting. To put this thought-provoking question to the test, they created a unique vehicle consisting of a tank of water on wheels with overhead cameras that tracked the movements of a goldfish inside the contraption and then drove in the corresponding direction.
Setting up a system wherein the fish were rewarded if they reached a target placed on a wall in a small room, the researchers were able to document an amazing response from the creatures. Not only were the goldfish able to successfully navigate the vehicle towards the desired spot, but they were able to discern false targets from real ones and overcome obstacles that were placed in the way of the tiny car. Additionally, the animals managed to improve their performance over time, initially needing around 30 minutes to complete the task to eventually, in some instances, pulling it off in less than a minute.
The jaw-dropping experiment, scientists say, suggests that the way a fish comprehends its surroundings and navigates within them "may be as successful in a terrestrial environment as they are in an aquatic one" and that this finding "hints at universality in the way space is represented across environments." They also noted that the study proved to be something of a testament to the cognitive ability of goldfish as the creatures were able to "learn a complex task in an environment completely unlike the one they evolved in," likening their experience to the challenges human face when they first try to ride a bike or drive a car.