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Pigs

A Yorkshire pig operates a joystick to play a simple video game.
A Yorkshire pig operates a joystick to play a simple video game. Photo: Eston Martz / Pennsylvania State University

Once depicted only as loafing slobs, pigs are starting to get more of the respect they deserve. Recent discoveries have shown the animals to be sensitive, personable, and above all, smart. Warty pigs used bark and sticks to build nests in a series of experiments conducted in the mid-2010s, and last year, researchers reported that pigs taught themselves to play video games in order to receive food treats. And as gamer will tell you, a well-used video game controller is the best kind of tool.