[hija]

How reading can help delay dementia



Another one of the benefits of reading books, especially fiction, is that it has been shown to increase empathy and emotional intelligence. One 2013 study found that participants who read just the first part or chapter of a story showed a noticeable increase in empathy one week later, while news readers showed a decrease. These findings may sound trivial, but they’re not; developing social tools such as empathy and emotional intelligence can lead to more (and more positive) human interaction, which in turn can lower stress levels—both of which are proved to help you live longer and healthier. You’ll also want to pick up these English class books you should read again as a grown-up.

That’s not to say that magazines, newspapers, and Web articles are without merit. Reading anything that fills your mind and exposes you to new words, phrases, and facts seems to carry mental benefits. New research indicates that a large vocabulary may lead to a more resilient mind by fuel­ing what scientists call cognitive reserve. One way to think about this reserve is as your brain’s ability to adapt to damage. Just as your blood cells will clot to cover a cut on your knee, cognitive reserve helps your brain cells find new mental pathways around areas damaged by stroke, dementia, and other forms of decay. This could explain why, after death, many seemingly healthy elders turn out to harbor advanced signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains despite showing few signs in life. It’s their cognitive reserve, researchers suspect, that may allow some seniors to seamlessly compensate for hidden brain damage.

Hilarious! Dog Out-Witted By Duck Who Played Dead To Save Itself

A duck has been hailed a legend after it played dead and out-witted a dog, with people calling it a 'Oscar-worthy' performance.

In the video that has gone viral, the dog can be seen standing over a duck which is lying still and motionless in the grass.



While the adorable dog waits, panting, the duck doesn't move a muscle. Suddenly, the Labrador is distracted by something else and runs off, at which point the duck leaps to her feet and scuttles away to safety with a surprising turn of speed.

People were quick to react to the hilarious video, with one one person writing: "Ducked out of that one nicely."

Another person joked: "That dog should have suspected Fowl play."

Other viewers were surprised by the duck's guile and asked if it was a common way for them to avoid threats.

Another person, who seemed to know a thing or two about the technique used by the duck, commented: "It's really common, they will also fake a broken wing, flap around like they are wounded and lead predators away from their nests then when they are a safe distance fly off and circle back around to safety."

You just got to admit: dog got played. Though, credit to the duck for perfecting the act as he survives to fight another day.

https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/wtf/duck-played-dead-fools-dog-531006.html

[Fatima99]

Grandparents Finally Get to Hug Grandkids After 9 Months Thanks to Inflatable Polar Bear Costumes

Grandparents who hadn’t hugged their grandsons since March shared a loving embrace, thanks to a bright idea to use inflatable polar bear costumes.



Barbara and Clive Walshaw said the heartwarming hug was the “best six minutes” they had all year.

They got to hold their three grandkids Quinn, six, Morgan, eight, and Mackenzie, 14, for the first time since March 1, after surprising them with the costumes.

The couple had been self-isolating and Barbara said it was heartbreaking for the children when they were told they couldn’t nip round to see them for Christmas.

They had originally planned to spend Christmas “together” on a Zoom call with a laptop at the end of the dinner table.

But the ingenious grandmother stumbled upon the inflatable polar bears while Christmas shopping online and realized she had found a way to hug her beloved grandchildren safely, on December 25.

She said it was the “best £15 she’d ever spent” as it brought so much joy and a “pure Christmas spirit”.

The couple, who are in their 70s, snuck up to their grandchildren’s home in Kirkstall, Leeds, and hugged it out while protected by the 6-foot costumes.

“It was really hard on all of the boys,” says Barbara. “We normally spend Christmas day with them and we wondered what we were going to do with all that’s been going on.”

The tight-knit family normally spend two to three days every week together, with a spare room for the boys to stay overnight.

“The costumes worked really well. Totally enclosed. It was the best idea I’ve ever had I think.”



“The younger boy was a bit overawed by these massive polar bears, but when he realized it was us it was so lovely. So many cuddles. It was amazing.”

“Everyone was so happy in those six minutes. And we laughed and cried. I loved it.”

At around noon on Christmas Day, Neil Walshaw, 45, and his wife Hazel, told their three boys that they’d heard a rumor that there were polar bear sightings in Kirkstall.

When they walked out they spotted their grandparents bouncing over hysterically in the massive costumes.

His youngest son Quinn was so shocked when he saw nana and grandpa walk up to their home that he sprinted back into the house and out again “to make sure it was real”.

Neil, said it was the best hug his boys ever had, and a memory they would “never forget”.

“They are the best grandparents in Leeds. They’re simply fantastic.”

[BigGlen]

This is what a $1 million dollar home in Toronto looks like

It is no secret that Toronto real estate prices have been out of reach for many people for years and recently there have been some barely livable homes for sale at eye-popping prices.

A tiny home on Euclid near College, that could be described as little more than a shack sold for $1.8 million.



A dilapidated semi-detached Junction home, in need of a complete gutting, was on the market for nearly $900,000 this past fall.

So perhaps it comes as no surprise that a partly burned home at 199 Thirtieth St. in Etobicoke is being sold for "land value only" for $1 million.


The home at 199 Thirtieth St. in Etobicoke sustained major damage in a 2016 fire. Photo via Realtor.ca

The home is in the Alderwood area of Etobicoke and is described as an "up and coming" neighbourhood. It is close to the GO Station and major highways — the QEW and 427. The only downside is the home, with a hole burnt in the roof, still sits on the property.

The fire was devastating on July 4, 2016 and was said to have started in a bedroom. It was deemed a "total loss." Fortunately, the two residents of the home were able to escape.

The home is yet another example of Toronto real estate prices that continue to skyrocket. This year Toronto saw average single home priced at $955,615 — 13.3 per cent more expensive year-over-year and those prices show no signs of slowing down.

While $1 million for a piece of land still seems outrageous, at least it offers a chance for a fresh start home, once you tear down the old one.

[goldie0608]

Man Hasn’t Been to the Grocery Store in 8 Months Thanks to Tiny Pandemic Garden Inspired By Grandfather



Meet the man who isn’t running to the supermarket to stockpile—thanks to his tiny urban patio garden which has kept him in fruit and vegetables for nine months.

This green-thumbed Italian—who moved to London six years ago—has grown so many vegetables during lockdown that he hasn’t been to the grocery store for any in eight months.

29-year-old tattoo artist Alessandro Vitale has grown chilli peppers and mint on his windowsill for years, so he was delighted when he moved into an apartment with a shared garden last year.

He set to work transforming half the 8x5m patio area into a growing haven, created a wall trellis for herbs out of recycled water bottles, and installed planters and a greenhouse.

In his first harvest this year, Alessandro managed to produce an impressive haul of 30 different kinds of vegetable, including cabbage, carrots, garlic, fennel, leeks, cauliflower, and broccoli.

Alessandro dined out on an impressive 35kg of tomatoes from just six plants, and he’s picked 10kg of 17 different types of chilli.

Keen to be frugal and environmental, Alessandro’s crops are 100% organic: He uses foraged wild nettle from a park for pest control, and homegrown aloe vera to make fertilizer.

Thanks to his Italian grandmother’s secret recipes, he’s turned lots of it into delicious pasta sauces to see him through winter, alongside veg he’s sorting too.

Alessandro said: “When I was a kid I used to help my grandpa out in the garden. I remember he would import chilli seeds from all over the world and he would have tonnes of plants.

“I couldn’t even go near when they were being harvested as I would have tears coming down my face.

“But since then this love of nature and gardening grew and it’s just something I’ve always enjoyed as a hobby.

Though Alessandro works full-time 45 hours a week, as soon as he’s home he spends a couple of hours tending to the garden. “My favorite thing to make with is jam and sauces from the chillis,” he says.

He now runs his own YouTube channel SpicyMoustache, sharing urban gardening tips and encouraging others to create urban green spaces.

[PennySerenade]

Man Challenges Twitters Users To Spot Dalmatian Having A Poo In Snow



A dog owner created his very own Where's Wally style challenge after snapping a photo of his Dalmatian in the snow.

Paul Gallagher, from Glasgow, shared several photos of six-year-old Max on Twitter asking people to try and spot the dog.

And, fair play to Max and Paul, it's pretty bloody difficult.

Posting the first photo online, which happened to be of Max taking a dump in a snowy landscape, Paul wrote: "Whilst you all post your stunning pics here's mine.

"Max my Dalmatian is doing a s**** so go find him."



Many Twitter users were left scratching their heads as they searched for the dog, while others claimed they spotted him in seconds.

I mean, I'll be honest, I know where the dog is in these pictures and I'm still struggling...

For those of you who still can't see him, Max is right at the back of the shot near the telegraph pole - trying to have his poop in private, by the looks of things.



In a follow up post, Paul shared another snap of Max in a snowy forest - once again, it's almost impossible to spot him.

However, if you look very closely, you can just make out Max's head as he has a pee against one of the trees.

A third shot appears to show a snow covered set of concrete stairs.

But if you look closely, Max is stood at the top of the stairs and, for once, doesn't appear to be pooping or peeing.





Speaking about his fun posts, Paul said: "2020 has been a year of upset for most of us on different platforms and if Max and I can help make one person laugh from these then we've done a good job."

Twitter users were left delighted with the posts, with one person saying: "I just spent 5 mins looking for s****ing dog then felt a sense of achievement when I found him. Good times."





Another stumped Twitter user added: "Are you sure you've no spelled snow leopard wrong? I have failed the challenge."

While a third joked: "Stunning artistry. Can almost feel the cold on my skin, the crispness of the air, the smell of s****."

[krazny9]

This Family Raised $32K to End Child Hunger By Recreating Famous Movie Scenes With Toddlers



From Braveheart to Home Alone: Quarantine Edition, a 4 year old and a 1-year-old from Connecticut have been channeling Hollywood to give back and spread cheer during the pandemic.

In an effort to keep their spirits up and their kids entertained during "days that felt 72 hours long," the Presser family from Connecticut began recreating some of the most iconic movie scenes—from A League of Their Own to Ace Ventura and Braveheart—casting 4-year-old Madison and 1-year-old Barton in the lead roles.

"We were limited to props and costumes we had laying around the house because we were basically locked down and couldn’t go to stores and borrow stuff from friends because we weren’t seeing anyone," explains Dan Presser.

But their ingenuity and flexibility paid off, and soon, they realized the clips could also serve to raise money for families in need.

Presser and his wife Beth noticed long lines at food banks and grocery stores and how some children out of school didn’t have meals. "We try to teach our daughter about giving back," he shares. "And we saw Mark Cuban, Alex Rodriguez, and Leo DiCaprio raise all that money to fight hunger with the All In Challenge, and it gave us the idea to try to help as much as we could. Obviously people aren't going to pay $20K to sit courtside at a game with us, but maybe they’ll pay $50 to watch our kids recreate some scenes from their favorite movies."

The family decided to partner with Feeding America, a domestic hunger relief organization that manages 200 food banks, and since posting their first movie scene back in the spring, they've created 43 clips and raised over $32K for Feeding America by attaching a link to the videos, Presser says.

That said, chances are at least one of your all-time favorites is represented in the Pressers' collection of "films," shared on their Quarantine 2020 Productions YouTube channel and Presser's Instagram account.

Madison also channeled Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, trying on all the dresses and then declares a saleswoman's rude behavior "a big mistake, big, huge!"

Now, the family has taken their project to the next level by "casting" friends who live all over the country. "We have supporting casts in these movies from Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, New York, NYC, and Washington, D.C., which is fun and very 2020," explains Presser. "They just shoot their lines at their house with their kids and send them to me, and I splice them in. The kids think they're movie stars—it's really cute."

Looks like production isn't slowing down anytime soon for the Pressers. After all, there's really no better way to stay safer at home than by having fun and entertaining others—all for a good cause.

How John Carpenter's The Thing Created The Dog-Thing (Without CGI)
The Dog-Thing from John Carpenter's The Thing was easier to make than the other creatures in the horror classic, but it was still tricky to operate.



The iconic Dog-Thing creature from John Carpenter's The Thing is a gruesome bag of flesh, blood, and tentacles, but it was crafted rather easily. In 1982, John Carpenter created one of the best sci-fi horror movies ever made: an adaptation of John W. Campbell Jr.'s 1938 novella Who Goes There?, which had previously spawned the 1951 film The Thing from Another World. The Thing's blood-curling pacing, heightened suspense, and masterful special effects remain a landmark in the history of horror films, so much so that they still overshadow the 2011 The Thing remake/prequel.

A big part of what makes the Dog-Thing such a memorable creature is the suspense that precedes its appearance. The Norwegian dog at the beginning of the movie is the symbol of looming danger that tells R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) and his fellow scientists that something has gone wrong over at the Norwegian base, but it's also the creature that secretly infiltrates the American camp. Once inside, the dog starts transforming, which causes the other dogs to desperately try to escape. After going through a spider-like phase, it's revealed that the dog has fully transformed into a slimy blob with the skinless head of a dog, but with squid-like tentacles and bulging limbs growing out of its amorphous body. The Dog-Thing, also known as Kennel-Thing, is definitely one of the most impressive creatures designs in The Thing, but also one of the easiest to materialize.

The Thing's all-practical special effects were crafted by Robert Bottin, who also decided on the final design of the monsters alongside John Carpenter. Complex sequences like the famous "defibrillator scene" required extremely intricate animatronics, coupled with remote-controlled blood-spurting mechanisms and layers of tissue that could only get broken once per take. Bottin worked so hard for these sequences that he had to be hospitalized. So, instead of creating the Dog-Thing with the same degree of complexity as the Spider-Head, John Carpenter sought the help of the legendary SFX artist Stan Winston.



The first stage of the Dog-Thing didn't evolve onscreen, so it only needed animatronics for its legs and some parts of its body. For its second form, Winston took an even more practical approach to the design and based the creature on the anatomy of the puppeteer. He designed the monster as a hand puppet, with the dog's head and neck extending along the handler's arm. The irregular body of the creature would conceal Lance Anderson, the puppeteer, down to his head and upper torso, and the dog's limp paw would be positioned in a way that could be controlled by Anderson's other hand. Of course, the ever-evolving Thing still had extra moving parts such as its facial expressions and its eyes, but these could be controlled by other members of the crew behind the camera, splitting the workload to make the scene as realistic and comfortable as possible.

This didn't mean the puppeteer was having a great time under the creature, as the Dog-Thing would slither on the ground, grow limbs, spout liquid, and flail its tentacles while getting riddled with bullets. As a result, Lance Anderson needed a leather helmet to protect him from the impacts of the exploding squibs (which still didn't prevent the Thing's slime to drip all over his body). He also needed to pull the tentacles into the creature, which would look appropriate once the footage was put in reverse for the final product. The effects required a lot of coordination, but all of it was worth it, considering how much time was saved building the hand puppet. In comparison to the more contrived designs in John Carpenter's classic, Winston's creation was a quick contribution.

This practical approach to special effects led The Thing to become a timeless horror classic, which has influenced many similar movies ever since. Animatronic gadgets, puppets, and disgusting fluids require much more effort from the filmmakers, but they still hold up four decades later. Movies like The Descent, The Void, It and the Cloverfield franchise owe their effective scares to The Thing's dedication to realism and its chilling suspense, not to mention how John Carpenter's The Thing has also influenced non-horror movies like Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight with its dramatic sense of claustrophobia.

https://screenrant.com/john-carpenter-thing-movie-dog-creature-made-no-cgi-how/

[Fivetide]

Woman Falls Down 650-Foot Cliff Moments After Proposal

Miraculously, the unnamed woman survived the 650-foot drop off the cliff - thanks to the snow breaking her fall.



A romantic proposal ended in disaster for one couple as the woman fell down a 650-foot cliff moments after saying "yes". According to news website Bild, the incident occurred shortly after a 27-year-old man proposed to his girlfriend in Carinthia, Austria.

The woman, 32, accepted the proposal just moments before she slipped and plunged off the Falkert mountain on December 27. The couple had trekked up the mountain one day earlier.

Miraculously, the unnamed woman survived the 650-foot drop off the cliff - thanks to the snow breaking her fall.

Her partner, who tried to hold on to her, also lost his footing and fell 50 feet through the air. He was left gripping a cliff edge. Fortunately, they were both rescued after the woman was found lying motionless by a passerby, who contacted emergency services. Her fiance, meanwhile, had to be rescued by a helicopter from the cliff edge he was clinging on to.

"The two were extremely lucky! Had it not been for snow, it would have turned out very differently," a police officer at the scene said, according to the Daily Mail.

The two received medical treatment, and the man has been diagnosed with a vertebrate fracture.

This is not the first time that a romantic proposal has gone wrong. In September, a man's marriage proposal was ruined by a runaway boat that sent him tumbling into water.

[johngriffen]

IN OTHER NEWS...
CURRENTLY OFFLINE

Hold off posting your news stories
The editors and accountant department are reviewing last weeks reports to insure that all our reporters get their proper paycheck

[johngriffen]

FOR STORIES POSTED THE W/O DECEMBER 28
Our news editors at IN OTHER NEWS have carefully reviewed all the stories submitted by our reporters
Following is last weeks Reporter Log

LEGEND:
X = Acceptable Story
X = PULITZER PRIZE
NA = Not Acceptable Story
DS = Duplicate Story
NOTE: If you feel the editors made a mistake, please feel free to PM me so that we can review your claim

A SPECIAL THANKS TO 7 ACE REPORTERS WHO FILED A NEW STORY EVERY DAY
BigGlen
Fatima99
Fivetide
goldie0608
hija
PennySerenade
rg_789



Every week the editors will review all the stories and pick the one story that we feels deserves a
MOBI PULITZER PRIZE
There are many different categories for submissions. Last week, the category was "CHRISTMAS SPIRIT & GIVING"
But this week, the category was "IT'S ALL ABOUT NEW YEARS"
For those interested in how the category is decided, it's simple. When the week begins, before ANY story is posted, I randomly select a category and record it on my spread sheet. And the reason why I don't post up front the category, is also simple. I'm sure we would all like to see many different diverse types of stories each week, and I don't want people to focus on past categories. Yeah, as time passes, some of the old categories will appear again, but it will remain pretty much random to keep our reporters on their toes

W/O DECEMBER 28 CATEGORY = IT'S ALL ABOUT NEW YEARS
REPORTER = BIGGLEN
DAY = TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29
STORY = "7 STRANGEST NEW YEAR TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD"
There were so MANY great stories this week, but when it came to New Year, this was my hand's down favorite. #7,Coloured Underwear – South America, was the most "interesting" tradition

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS WEEKS MOBI PULITZER PRIZE WINNERS = 100 WRZ

THE NEXT NEWS CYCLE WILL BEGIN SHORTLY

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
MONDAY JANUARY 4
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You may post One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can enter only once a day
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -6)
3:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them to under a minute, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

Michigan zoo seeks Christmas tree donations for goat food

A Michigan zoo is asking residents to recycle their Christmas trees after the holidays by donating them to be played with and eaten by the facility's goats.



The Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo in New Era said any trees donated will be given over to their herd of over 40 goats for enrichment and nourishment.

"Animals get the winter blues kind of, too, so they like anything new and unusual. It's exciting for them," Jenny Ferels, the zoo's brand ambassador, told WXMI-TV.

Ferels said Christmas trees are actually a very healthy meal for the animals.

"Pine needles have a lot of Vitamin C in them, so they're getting some vitamins there, and it's a natural de-wormer for goats too," she said.

She said goats are uniquely qualified for the job of Christmas tree disposal.

"The pokey pine needles, some animals, they can't handle it, but a goat has a really hard mouth, so they're able to easily eat the pine needles. They like the taste of the pine needles," Ferels said.

Ferels said the zoo is asking for donated trees to be left at a drop-off spot in the facility's front driveway. She asked residents to make sure the trees are cleared of all types of decorations before being donated.

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2020/12/31 ... 609439744/

[Fatima99]

Girl, 7, asks for duck birthday cake and mum's hilarious attempt goes viral

A mum has pleaded with people "not to laugh" at her attempt to recreate a duck cake her daughter picked out of a cookbook to celebrate her seventh birthday



A mum has left people in stitches after sharing a side-by-side comparison of the birthday cake her daughter had asked her to make and the one she ended up with.

The little girl had picked out a buttermilk duck cake from her mum's cookbook, and asked her to make it in time for her seventh birthday celebrations on Christmas Eve.

The cake in the book was finished with popcorn to resemble feathers, two crisps for a beak, and liquorice for eyes, but her daughter doesn't like buttermilk so the mum switched it for chocolate instead.

But, unfortunately, it didn't quite go to plan and the mum shared an hilarious photo on Facebook to show a red-eyed, angry-looking duck with no neck and a popcorn hairdo, as reported by Kidspot.



Luckily she was able to see the funny side and uploaded the post with the caption: “OK all, please don’t laugh. My daughter turned seven on Christmas Eve and wanted a duck cake.

"She doesn’t eat buttermilk cake so Woolies mudcake hack to the rescue… #nailedit.”

And people loved her efforts, as one commented to say: “This is the best, funniest cake I’ve ever seen. I love it. It’s ‘quacktastic’."

A second wrote: “Who needs a neck anyway!"

And others said the thought and effort that had gone into attempting the cake was all that mattered, commenting: "This seriously made my day. I can fully relate. Made with lots of love."

Someone else added: "You’re a champion mum, nailed it hard."

Monkeys play video game to prove primates hate 'sunk costs' too



Many people hate to walk away from a situation they've invested significant time, money or resources on, even if it's hopeless.

Those wasted efforts are called 'sunk costs' and the more you spend, the more you're likely to keep at it.

It turns out our primate cousins act the same way, according to a new study from Georgia State University.

Researchers taught dozens of monkeys to play a video game and, rather than starting over on a new level, the animals kept trying to win the same one round.

In fact, they spent up to seven times as long as they should have on one round when they would have had a better chance of getting a treat just skipping ahead to the next one.

That's because of a combination of uncertainty about the outcome and an ingrained evolutionary mechanism that helps us balance costs and benefits, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports.

Julia Watzek, a researcher in Georgia State University's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, worked with her graduate advisor, Sarah Brosnan, on the analysis.

Brosnan, is affiliated with the GSU's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and researches how animals perceive cooperation and reciprocity.

She's worked with the monkeys at the university's Language Research Center for more than two decades, calling them 'my second set of kids.'

To test Watzek's theory, Brosnan had 26 capuchins and seven rhesus macaques play a simple video game.



The animals needed to use a joystick to move a cursor onto a moving target, then keep it with the target as it kept moving.

If they succeeded, they'd hear a 'whoop' sound and get a treat.

But if they failed to keep the cursor on the target, there was no sound and no reward, only a new round of the same game.

Brosnan trained the monkeys on the basics of the game, then tested them on rounds lasting one, three or seven seconds.

'Monkeys have really quick reaction times on these games,' she said, 'so one second to them is actually a long time.'

Here's where the sunk cost principle comes in: Most rounds were only one second long, so if the monkeys didn't get the reward after that, it was smarter for then to quit and start a new round

'That would likely get you a treat sooner than if you had kept going,' Watzek said.

But, like a human throwing good money after bad, the monkeys kept trying with the same round.

'They persisted five to seven times longer than was optimal,' said Brosnan, 'and the longer they had already tried, the more likely they were to complete the entire task.'

Since there was a chance the game might last longer, Watzek say uncertainty also played part in their behavior.

The sunk-cost effect was more evident in the macaques, but the capuchins struggled to let go, too.

It's also been demonstrated in pigeons and rats, Science Alert reported.

Since it's evident across species, Watzek and Brosnan believe there's an evolutionary component to the phenomenon.

Studying it in animals 'teaches us something about how their minds work,' Watzek said, 'as well as our own.'

It also indicates things like pride or embarrassment—generally human traits—are not the main factors in the sunk cost phenomenon.

Brosnan readily admits that sticking to something you've invested a lot of time in isn't always a bad idea.

'Sometimes, you need to have patience—that helps when you're foraging for food, hunting prey, waiting for eggs to hatch, seeking a mate, or building a nest or enclosure.'

But sometimes there's a good reason to stop trying.

'When we find ourselves sticking with things, we should also be a little reflective,' she said.

'Do I have a good reason to keep trying? Or should I leave with no reward, because it will save me more in the long run? That's really hard to do. But hopefully we can use our cognitive abilities to help us overcome the emotional heartache of occasional sunk costs.'

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/techands ... r-BB1cmynU