How instinctive drift changed a raccoon's trained behavior

A raccoon's old instinct overpowered its training

A raccoon trained to put coins into a box began rubbing the coins with its paws instead. The movement resembled the animal's natural food-handling behavior and interfered with the learned task. This return of an instinct during training is called instinctive drift.

Smarter elevators can make you wait longer

Some elevators ask for your destination before you enter. Their software groups passengers heading to similar floors, reducing stops and shortening rides. The trade-off is that you may wait longer in the lobby because the system chooses the most efficient car for the whole group, not necessarily the next available one.

Europe linked coal and steel production to make another war less likely

In 1952, six European countries created the European Coal and Steel Community. Coal and steel were essential for heavy industry and weapons production, so placing them under shared oversight made it harder for member states to prepare for war against one another. The arrangement became an important early step toward today's European Union.

Like this? There’s a whole feed of it. Replace empty scrolling with things worth knowing.

Download Hence for free

How instinctive drift changed a raccoon's trained behavior

A raccoon's old instinct overpowered its training

Keep exploring