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Is there a technical/scientific term that scientists use to refer to tool making abilities found in certain types of animals?


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up vote 6 down vote accepted

Having read this article on tool use in Chimpanzees in full, I am inclined to say that if such a term existed then either the article itself or the titles of any of the 30 articles referenced would have included it.

Searching a couple of online biological dictionaries and ethology sites hasn't yielded anything either, therefore until someone else points out that I'm missing the obvious I'd say you're free to coin the term yourself!

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Yeah, I've never seen anything more formal than just plain "tool use". For instance, see the article "The Ecological Significance of Tool Use in New Caledonian Crows" – yamad Feb 28 '12 at 21:33
Ok. Thanks for the answer. Appreciate it. Was hoping for a "scientific term" if such a thing exists. Thanks anyway! – Calvin Cheng Feb 22 '13 at 0:40

I think "tool use" could serve as a good term on it's own, don't you think?

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Yea... But I am looking for a phrase which confuses the layman. :-p haha. – Calvin Cheng Feb 22 '13 at 0:38

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