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Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antennae (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/science@lemmy.world
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The behavioural cue of ‘flexible self-protection’ is a way to establish whether an animal feels pain, scientists say

Crickets that received the hot probe “overwhelmingly” directed their attention to the affected antenna – they groomed it more frequently, and tended to it over a longer period of time, he says. “They weren’t just agitated and flustered. They were directing their attention to the actual antennae that was hit with this hot probe.”

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[–] 24 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I really don't get the idea that people don't think animals or bugs feel pain or distress.

Like if it's got a nervous system I'm sure it has some concept of pain.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    Many insects don't have a nervous system. Also, some plants respond to physical damage (albeit very differently than an animal) and they don't have nervous systems, either.

    It would also be possible to build a machine that can detect damage to itself and program it for self preservation, but that doesn't intrinsically mean it would feel pain.

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