Featured Items:
Lost Science: Our Lab
Posted November 26th 2025
In this interview, Dr. Plotnik discusses the lab’s loss of federal funding and its significant impact on the lab’s research and our work on HEC and elephant cognition in Thailand.
Our lab on CBS 60 Minutes
Posted November 26th 2025
Dr. Plotnik and his team discuss the implications of understanding elephant cognition and personality to human-elephant conflict mitigation in Thailand, and highlight a 20+ minute piece on CBS 60 Minutes that introduces the lab’s novel approach to promoting coexistence between humans and elephants.
Life’s Little Mysteries – Mysterious Elephants
Posted August 17th 2020
The Life’s Little Mysteries Podcast takes a look at elephants and recent research that sheds light on the more mysterious aspects of the elephant family. Dr. Plotnik shares his thoughts.
Pangolin: The Strange Endangered Mammal You Probably Never Heard Of
Posted August 10th 2020
Research, Innovation, and Creativity at CUNY interviewed Joshua DiPaola about his recent work with Dr. Plotnik’s on the Sunda pangolin and their publication “Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind.
Study Examines Behavior of Pangolins, Mammals Tied to COVID-19
Posted June 18th 2020
Hunter College headlines the newest publication from the CCC lab that centers on the use of sensory information by Sunda pangolins to detect and track prey. CCC Master’s student Josh DiPaola traveled to Thailand and led this exciting cognition research project on the world most’s trafficked animal. In addition to the above news link, the full publication can be accessed via our publication page.
Researchers are Learning how Asian Elephants Think In Order to Save Them
Posted March 24th 2020
The Smithsonian Magazine dives into the current state of their Asian Elephant work. Special focus is given to our Masters student Sateesh Venkatesh’s research and the scope of the the CCC lab’s focus.
The Hidden Cost of the Perfect Selfie
National Geographic’s “Overheard” podcast explores some of the complexity of Selfie culture and its impacts on captive elephants, tigers, and other animals. Dr. Plotnik can be heard at the 16:40 mark.
What Elephants Can Tell Just by the Smell
Posted September 12th 2019
SUM – Research, Innovation, and Creativity at CUNY explores Dr. Plotnik’s recent Asian elephant olfactory research and its applications to understanding an elephant’s sensory perspective.
Elephants May Sniff Out Quantity With Their Noses
Posted June 4th 2019
In this article written by Veronique Greenwood, Dr. Josh Plotnik explores his team’s recent findings that elephants can distinguish quantity based solely on their sense of smell, and the potential impacts of this research.
You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Cooperative Behavior in Elephants
Posted May 27th 2019
Rebecca DeWees explores some of the complexities of elephant social structure and how Dr. Plotnik’s work on cooperation could benefit the taxa at large.
Videos to watch in your spare time!
Dr. Plotnik presents an exciting Hunter@Home talk on Zoom to a large audience tuning in from their homes around the world, and leads a special Q&A with CCC lab PhD student Sarah Jacobson and CCC colleague John Roberts with a special appearance by our elephant collaborators in Thailand.
Dr. Plotnik explores animal intelligence, his research, and applications of animal cognition research to conservation in a talk to the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, Sweden.
“Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman” explores Dr. Plotnik’s research on complex cognitive capabilities in Asian elephants.
National Geographic’s “Mind of a Giant” program takes a look at the meaning of the mirror test in African elephants.