Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow / Curr. Biol., Jan. 19, 2026 (Vol. 36, Issue 2)

A narrated overview of Veronika’s flexible use of a multipurpose tool. The video introduces Veronika, a 13-year-old Swiss Brown cow living in rural Austria and summarizes how she spontaneously developed tool use. It illustrates the experimental design and her manipulation of an asymmetrical deck-brush broom, showing how she strategically employs both the broom and stick ends to reach different body regions. The video highlights her sensitivity to the mechanical affordances of each tool end, the rarity of multipurpose tool use among non-primates, and the broader implications for cattle cognition and welfare. It concludes with a short conservation message from her owner. Check out the paper at http://www.cell.com/current-biology/f.... A.J. Osuna-Mascaró and A.M.I. Auersperg (2026). Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow. Curr. Biol. 36. And read more great research at http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home.