There was a story about octopus(!) tool use (coconut shell).

Just reminding people this thread is called "Discussion of Evolution", this means if you choose to take part you want to discuss the topic and not just post 1 liners with a link that may or may not be useful. So tell us your thoughts of Evolution and the human species with regards to the scientific process and why you think what you think.

Very interesting, but not surprising. We have known for a while that octopi are smart animals. It is good there is now some empirical evidence to make the "if it cannot be physically measured it does not exist" people happy.

*It is a sad day when academic writing has words like octopuses, instead of octopi.

Octopus is a word of Greek origin the plural does not end in "i"
It is not a second declension Latin word:
It is quite incorrect to say "octopi"

Randicus
You can use octopodes, if you really want to impress people.
http://oxforddictionaries.com/defini...opus?q=octopus

Cephalopod sounds even better.
The ability to change skin colour as a form of camouflage is a tremendous evolutionary advantage. Especially the octopus. I saw one on a television nature programme change colours almost instantaneously. I would be very interested in some insight into the biological mechanisms that are used. If anyone is familiar with it, feel free to enlighten me. It should not be off-topic, because I interpret the OP to include general discussion of evolution, not only ours.

In that case are we talking about Homo Sapiens evolution and homo gene that is unique(key word) for some reason or Evolution in general for every species on Earth?

Ok. I am a guy who has been kinda tuned to nature all his life.

I personally keep 5 dogs and 2 cats to keep life interesting.
Dogs are very smart as far interpreting what I want from them and
believe it or not. I have my cats trained the same way also.

Reward training makes this easy. Now. I've heard of clam shell tools
and sticks for termites and bannana leafs for umbrellas. In other words
I guess what I am trying to get at is that if a reward is the end result
of using a tool for one certain task. OK.

So what my Biker brain is getting so far is that what makes a brain evolve
is the reward waiting after the end of a thinking process action.
Then what reward is had when art or I don't have the vocabulary I guess
to explain (music?) comes into play?

Curious as always. Otherwise I would not be a Linux user.

Errr, I am not getting my point across too well.

If I break out my Harmonica. My dogs listen but with a ? look on their faces.
My Cats will just run away
Not because I am a bad player.

Because they have no concept of abstract organized images (art) or sound (music)
to get any kind of pleasure from it. In other words a reward.

@rokytnji: Interesting example. Are you sure we are on same page. Sounds to me you are speaking about superstition rather than evolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWo3kTYb8W0
For those who like text here is part of video about pigeon experiment
http://vidallena.org/skinpal.htm

I am very very very far from being superstitious. I think and live here and now and am more
of a outdoors tyoe than a indoors type. I am just curious is all'

The first hypothesis that jumps into my mind is visual art can serve the purposes of communication, leaving behind a record for the children and grand-children, or perhaps empathetic magic. (If I create a gazelle, I might have a better change of killing one.) All three results are rewards. ??? Maybe, maybe not.

Music gives people pleasure, which is also a reward.

Edit
Oops. I did not see your follow-up post.

Not really true..music pleasure is much more different from casual rewards. Just like other media. Tell me then how can children learn foreign language(i learned basic english this way myself so when i started learning english at school i already knew lot of stuff - if i would be exposed more who knows..some people say they learned a lot by plain watching) watching just cartoons and movies and other TV material then if it is just reward? Art is something much more complicated yet brilliant result that prooves something is missing..

Before I go outside and get off the net. Just another thought popped into my head,

People have a concept of time. How did that happen.
My pets don't plan for what they are going to do next week.

Boy, The questions this thread could bring up. Evolution is weird.

Edit made me grin. I know. A serious thread but I figured to be myself and have some fun.

Creativity and imagination. Those are what separates us from other animals. But how they might have evolved, I haven't a clue.