Do animals grieve? Do they have language or consciousness? For a long time, scientists resisted the urge to look for human qualities in animals. On this week's show, TED speakers explore how that is changing.

 

In 2018, an orca made headlines when she carried her dead calf on her back for weeks. Barbara King says this was a display of animal grief, and explains how this changes our relationship with animals.

 

We know that dolphins make distinctive clicks and whistles. But is that a language? Researcher Denise Herzing thinks it might be -- and for the past 35 years -- she's been working on unlocking it.

 

What makes an "alpha male?" Primatologist Frans de Waal says we often get it wrong. His research shows that alpha males possess leadership traits like generosity, peacekeeping, and empathy.

 

Ecologist Carl Safina says humans aren't the only ones who love, grieve, or think. He argues if animals are more complex then we once thought, shouldn't we reconsider the ethics of how we treat them?