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Training Circus Lobster

By zooillogix on May 6, 2009.

I cannot train my dog Mathman not to pee on the damned carpet but New England Aquarium's senior trainer, cryptically known simply as "Erin", can teach a lobster to score higher on the GRE than me.

As some readers of this blog may know, I have long been concerned with growing Lobster / Human tensions as illustrated in this alarmist Geocities site I created in 2000 while hungover in Belgium at "work." So the question I pose is this: will training lobsters lead to mutual understanding or merely create more efficient killers ala the CIA and Taliban circa 1985?

Although it might not make Letterman's "stupid pet tricks" anytime soon, this video of a lobster trained to stick its claw through a hoop before getting fed is pretty cool. The lobster equivalent of "giving paw" perhaps...

Even cooler, here Erin has taught the lobster to roll-over.

Learn more about Erin's lobster walking, day care and grooming service here. I am eagerly awaiting a promised video of a lobster catching a Frisbee and returning it to the thrower, then barking "I Love You!"

Tags
aquarium
crustacean
lobster
erin
New England Aquarium
pet tricks
Research
training

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Heh. Heh heh.

Here is the plot summary from Wikipedia for the Charles Stross short story "Lobsters", a Hugo and Nebula award nominee, and now the first chapter in his novel Accelerando:

In Amsterdam, Manfred receives a call on a courier-delivered phone from entities claiming to be a net-based AI working for KGB dot RU, seeking his help on how to defect. Eventually, he discovers they are actually uploaded brain-scans of the California spiny lobster looking to escape from humanity's interference. He manages to team them up with Bob Franklin, who is looking for an AI to crew his nascent spacefaring projectâthe building of a self-replicating factory complex from cometary materialâwhich he created with Manfred's help. Later, Manfred's predatory fiancée forces him to impregnate and marry her in an attempt to control him.

I'm not trying to imply anything. But it's a might fine coincidence.

By william e emba (not verified) on 07 May 2009 #permalink

'In Amsterdam, Manfred receives a call on a courier-delivered phone from entities claiming to be a net-based AI working for KGB dot RU, seeking his help on how to defect.'

I think this is not true.

In Amsterdam, Manfred receives a call on a courier-delivered phone from entities claiming to be a net-based AI working for KGB dot RU, seeking his help on how to defect...