Is This the Most Mind-Blowing Performance Ever?

[Poop-Loops]

No, you're not.



I literally felt like dropping to my knees while watching that. I don't think I've ever been this amazed in my life...

 

[BryanP]

Yeah just saw it in CNN.

If you ever seen the show "Real Superhumans" which is on BBC or in The Science Channel (in the US), there's a blind man named Esref Armagan who is born with no eyes, yet can paint in 3-dimensional perspective. That's mind-blowing as well!

 

[Moonbear]

Wow! That elephant paints better than I do! Even if it was somehow trained to draw these pictures, that's pretty amazing.

Though, watching, I have to wonder...do elephants have trouble with depth perception? Did you notice that it seemed so unsteady every time as it approached the canvas with the brush, but once it had the brush pressed against the canvas, it drew very precise lines (even traced over the same lines without error that I could see)? It looked to me like it couldn't quite judge how far to the canvas, but once it was touching, then was able to be very precise with its movements.

Overall, really cool.

 

[Evo]

No, you're not.



I literally felt like dropping to my knees while watching that. I don't think I've ever been this amazed in my life...

While elephants are known to have incredible memories and emotions as far as ties to other elephants, and they paint some great abstract pictures, I have to say that this is a hoax.

I've seen some incredible films on elephants, but this isn't real. I'm fairly sure this will be exposed as having been fabricated.

 

[Poop-Loops]

I don't think it was depth perception, I think it had to do with trying to make precise movements with its huge trunk. Humans can anchor their pinky on the canvas to be more precise if they have to, but for an elephant it's really hard, especially since there aren't any bones to keep the trunk steady.

 

[jhicks]

I've seen some incredible films on elephants, but this isn't real. I'm fairly sure this will be exposed as having been fabricated.

I figured they were probably trained to paint those pictures; As I see it, they don't really understand what they're painting, they just do what they have been instructed to do. Trunks seem pretty flexible/precise too.

 

[Poop-Loops]

I have to say that this is a hoax.

I've seen some incredible films on elephants, but this isn't real. I'm fairly sure this will be exposed as having been fabricated.

Uh huh, it's easy to be an e-tough gal, but I'd like to see you say that to his face.

 

[gravenewworld]

Ridiculous.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Okay, okay, I can't tell whether that is a hoax or not, so what about this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zQydsi1sSTU

 

[Evo]

Uh huh, it's easy to be an e-tough gal, but I'd like to see you say that to his face.

The best documentary on elephants I saw recently ripped at my heart. It showed the reunion between two elephants that had been separated for at least 25 years. They recognized each other, embraced, and cried tears and couldn't be separated.

This painting though, I really feel has been "tampered" with. I hope it doesn't impede study into elephant intelligence, which I think is incredible.

 

[waht]

I thought that was fake too. But in the end, when the elephant drew the rose, one of the guys behind the scenes was hold a picture of the rose. So looks it like the elephant drew what it saw, not from memory.

 

[Poop-Loops]

The entire reason for speculation is that it gets zoomed up to the trunk, so you can't tell if it's attached to an elephant or if it's a sock that someone has his hand in. I know what you mean. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if someone debunks it...

 

[lisab]

No way. HAS to be a hoax. It just doesn't look right.

 

[gravenewworld]

It's not a hoax, just google "elephant art" and you will get tons of crap.

There's even a national geographic article on it

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0626_020626_elephant.html
More elephant art

http://store.exoticworldgifts.com/prostores/servlet/-strse-277/Painted-by-an-Elephant/Detail

http://store.exoticworldgifts.com/prostores/servlet/-strse-278/Painted-by-an-Elephant/Detail

 

[Poop-Loops]

Elephants: 1
Physicists: 0

 

[gravenewworld]

Hmmm maybe when I go to Thailand in June I will be able to pick up some elephant art. Thais definitely love their elephants.

 

[jhicks]

I for one welcome our artistic elephant overlords

 

[rocomath]

The best documentary on elephants I saw recently ripped at my heart. It showed the reunion between two elephants that had been separated for at least 25 years. They recognized each other, embraced, and cried tears and couldn't be separated.

This painting though, I really feel has been "tampered" with. I hope it doesn't impede study into elephant intelligence, which I think is incredible.

Aw, do you have a link?

 

[Evo]

Aw, do you have a link?

I'll have to hunt for one. After seeing this documentary, you will never think of elephants as being less than human.

 

[lisab]

I'm a big fan of elephants. Here's a link that briefly discusses elephant's emotions:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/unforgettable/emotions.html

In Hoenwald, Tennessee, there's a huge sanctuary for retired circus and zoo elephants:

http://www.elephants.com/

I look at that site regularly. The keepers post on the elephants' daily activities. In the last couple of weeks, two of their elephants have died, unfortunately.

I think elephants are incredible animals with rich emotional lifes. But seriously, I think the video is faked.

 

[drankin]

Un-Freakin-Believable

Wow!

 

[Evo]

It's not a hoax, just google "elephant art" and you will get tons of crap.

There's even a national geographic article on it

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0626_020626_elephant.html

But that has nothing to do with the youtube video. I have posted elephant art before, it is nothing like the video.

 

[Evo]

I think elephants are incredible animals with rich emotional lifes. But seriously, I think the video is faked.

I have to agree lisab, it's just not real and I'm afraid it will do more harm to the understanding of the intelligence of elephants than help.

 

[gravenewworld]

I have to agree lisab, it's just not real and I'm afraid it will do more harm to the understanding of the intelligence of elephants than help.

The burden of proof lies with you.

 

[gravenewworld]

Here are other videos of elephants painting other elephants with a zoomed out view so that you have the full body shot of the elephant while it is painting for all you skeptics.

please disprove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3WHhW4VykE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FGEJKQzaMA&feature=related

 

[BryanP]

Elephants > Humans

or what

 

[Evo]

Here are other videos of elephants painting other elephants with a zoomed out view so that you have the full body shot of the elephant while it is painting for all you skeptics.

please disprove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3WHhW4VykE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FGEJKQzaMA&feature=related

You can't be serious. Do you see how many cuts there are? There is no continuous video of the elephant drawing anything. Just shots of him starting to hold up the brush.

 

[Mk]

I believe this video to be a hoax.

 

[montoyas7940]

The best documentary on elephants I saw recently ripped at my heart. It showed the reunion between two elephants that had been separated for at least 25 years. They recognized each other, embraced, and cried tears and couldn't be separated.

The preserve you saw is near me. They are very protective of the elephants. The elephants live a good life and are well cared for.

www.elephants.com

 

[Poop-Loops]

Fine, here's another one.