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In 1985, three researchers on a dolphin-studying expedition got a little bored.
1985年，海豚研究探险队三个研究员觉得有点无聊。
To lighten things up, one pretended to be Poseidon
为了放松一下，他们其中一个假装成海神波塞冬，
by placing a seaweed garland on his head and then throwing it into the ocean.
在头上放了一个海草花环，然后把花环扔进海里。
Moments later, a dolphin surfaced with the seaweed crowning her head.
一会儿，一只海豚头上顶着海草花环浮出水面。
Sure, this could have been a coincidence, but it's also entirely possible that the dolphin was mimicking the scientist.
当然，这可能是巧合，但这也完全可能是这只海豚在模仿科学家。
That's because dolphins are one of the smartest animals species on Earth.
因为，海豚是地球上最聪明的物种之一。
So exactly how smart are they? Like whales and porpoises,
它们到底有多聪明？就像鲸鱼和鼠海豚一样，
dolphins belong to the group of aquatic mammals known as cetaceans who comprise 86 different species,
海豚属于水生哺乳动物的一类，称为鲸目动物，其中有86种不同的物种，
and share a common link with ungulates, or hoofed animals.
海豚和有蹄类动物也有关联。
Originally land mammals, the first cetaceans entered the water about 55 million years ago as large predators with sharp teeth.
它们最初是陆地上的哺乳动物，第一只鲸目动物大约在5500万年前进入水中，它们长出利齿，成为大型捕食者。
Then, a shift in ocean temperatures about 35 million years ago reduced the availability of prey.
在大约3500万年前，海洋温度突变，可获得的猎物大量减少。
One group of cetaceans who survived this distruption,
鲸目类的一组在这场灾难中幸存下来，
the odontocetes, wound up smaller with less sharp teeth,
也就是齿鲸，它们外形变小，牙齿也不那么锋利，
but also larger and more complex brains that allowed for complex social relationships,
但同时它们的脑部变大变复杂，这让它们可以形成复杂的社会关系，
as well as echolocation to navigate and communicate.
还能通过回声定位来导航和交流。
Jump ahead to the present, and modern dolphins' brains are so large that their encephalization quotient,
发展到现在，现代海豚的大脑是如此之大，以至于它们的脑商
their brain size compared to the average for their body size, is second only to humans.
即脑大小占身体大小的平均比例，是仅次于人类的。
Dolphins have evolved to survive through their ability to form complex social networks
海豚为了生存不断进化，拥有应付复杂社交网络的能力，
that hunt, ward off rivals, and raise offspring together.
一起捕猎，逃脱捕杀，养育后代。
For example, one group of Florida dolphins practices a sophisticated form of cooperation to hunt fish.
例如，一群佛罗里达海豚演练出一套精妙的合作方式来捕鱼。
A dolphin designated as 'the net-maker' kicks up mud
一只海豚被设计成“织网者”，不断引起骚动，
while another gives the signal for the other dolphins to simultaneously line up and catch the escaping fish.
同时另一只海豚发送信号给其他海豚，以同时形成一条线，捕获逃跑的鱼。
Achieving a goal like this requires deliberate planning and cooperation,
要达成像这样的目标，需要周密的计划和合作，
which, in turn, requires some form of intentional communication.
而且，需要有目的的交流。
Dolphins pass down their communication methods and other skills from generation to generation.
海豚的沟通方式和其他技能代代相传。
Different dolphin populations exhibit variations in greetings, hunting strategies, and other behaviors.
不同的海豚种群有不同的问候方式，不同的捕猎策略和其他行为习惯。
This sort of cultural transmission even extends to tool use.
这种文化的传递甚至包括工具使用。
One group of bottlenose dolphins off the Australian coast nicknamed The Dolphin Sponge Club,
远离澳大利亚海岸的一群瓶鼻海豚，被昵称为海豚海绵俱乐部，
has learned how to cover their rostrums with sponges when rooting in sharp corals,
它们懂得用海绵包裹它们的喙，在锋利的珊瑚礁中觅食，
passing the knowledge from mother to daughter.
这个知识由母亲传授给女儿。
Dolphins have even demonstrated language comprehension.
海豚甚至展示出了语言理解能力。
When taught a language based on whistles and hand gestures, they not only understood what the signals meant,
当传授它们基于哨音和手势的语言，他们不仅可以理解信号的意思，
but that their order had meaning: the difference between bringing the ball to the hoop and bringing the hoop to the ball.
还可以理解顺序：把球放在铁环上不同于把铁环放在球上。
So they were able to process two of the main elements of human language:
所以他们能够处理人类语言中两种主要的元素
symbols that stand for objects and actions, and syntax that governs how they are structured.
代表物体和动作的符号，以及管理结构的语法。
Dolphins are also one of the few species who pass the mirror test.
海豚也是少有的能够通过镜像测试的物种之一。
By recognizing themselves in mirrors, they indicate physical self-awareness,
它们认出镜中的自己，证明有身体自我认知能力，
and research shows they can recognize not just their bodies, but also their own thoughts, a property called metacognition.
研究还表明它们不仅可以认出自己的身体，还可以认出自己的思考，这种能力叫做元认知。
In one study, dolphins comparing two sounds could indicate a same, different, or uncertain response.
在一个研究中，海豚比较两种声音，它能够反馈出是相同、不同或无法肯定。
Just like humans, they indicated uncertainty more often with difficult trials,
就像人类一样，它们在困难的测试中更经常反馈“不确定”，
suggesting they're aware of what they know, and how confident they feel about that knowledge.
表明它们可以认识到自己知道什么，以及它们对自己认知的自信度。
But some of the most amazing things about dolphins are their senses of empathy, altruism, and attachment.
但海豚最神奇的地方是它们的同理心，利他主义和互相支持。
The habit of helping injured individuals extends across the species barrier
它们帮助受伤个体的习惯跨越了物种间的界限，
as evidenced by the many accounts of dolphins carrying humans to the surface to breathe.
在许多例子中，我们都看到海豚托人浮出水面呼吸。
And like us, dolphins mourn their dead.
也和我们一样，海豚也为死去的同伴哀悼。
When we consider all the evidence, we may wonder why humans still hunt dolphins for meat,
想到所有这些，我们可能要问，为什么人类还要捕杀海豚来食用，
endanger them through fishing and pollution, or imprison them to perform tricks.
为什么要用捕捞和污染让它们身陷险境，为什么要囚禁他们表演杂耍。
The ultimate question may not be whether dolphins are intelligent and complex beings,
根本的问题不在于海豚是否是聪明和复杂的生物，
but whether humans can empathize with them enough to keep them safe and free.
而是人类是否能够理解它们的感受，让它们安全和自由。
