[dp-tyvek]

We are special though. Birds carrying burning sticks to spread fires is significantly different from humans:

-Starting fires

-Using fire to process food

-Using fire to process raw materials into something that can be used for tools, structures etc.

[richmarr]

Sure but not all goalposts were created equal.

We talk about the use of tools because it's a very significant conceptual leap. Once you understand that you can manipulate your environment to accomplish your goals the abilities in your list are comparatively incremental.

Our use of tools isn't the only measure of specialness, but I'm not sure there are many cognitive leaps quite so significant... language would be one but seems trickier to pin down because there are degrees of sophistication.

[a3n]

Give them time; we took ours.

[saguro]

I don't think all branches of evolution lead to intelligence given any finite amount of time.

[hanniabu]

I think the real only limiting factor prevent them from accomplishing what we have is that they do not have the limbs and dexterity available which we have. This enabled us to perform many tasks which are out of the question for them. I'd say they do damn well for what their body's allow them to do.

[Rainymood]

Of course not, but there just has to be one apart from ours, right? Besides we will all be extinct anyway before that because evolution takes billions of years.

[saguro]

That's probably a question that CS researches will get to address one day in the future... Estimating what percentage of reasonable length DNA arrangements leads to intelligent organisms.

[throwanem]

That's not a meaningful question; it needs selection pressures over time to make sense.

[tjoff]

Has to be one apart from ours? For what? For there to be two special species?

[robotresearcher]

They've had exactly the same time we had.