Rewards of Empirical Research

Any member of the scientific community can tell you about the sheer pleasure involved when the fruits of research are harvested. For instance, it took the renowned chimpanzee specialist Jane Goodall years to prove that chimps could use tools. At first it was a mere stick that the primates employed to fish for ants inside a tree hole. It wasn't long before they were discovered using screwdrivers and hammers to build crude shelters, and the sound from their Black and Decker circular saws soon permeated the forests. The same is true for the long hours of research that we here at COC have devoted to proving a theory we've had for many a day: that the Western blacktailed jackrabbit engaged in a strenous exercise routine. It wasn't until recently, though, that we were able to prove it by using a remote, motion-activated digital camera that captured a photo of an individual doing pushups.