Can you solve this puzzle? A set of puzzles that will challenge even today's most sophisticated artificial intelligence models, while being relatively easy for people, aims to encourage AI developers to create new techniques. Any AI that solves the puzzles will net its creators a share of a 1 million prize fund. But this isn't because the models are reasoning intelligently like humans, says Mike Knoop at…

If you have ever hung a bird feeder in your garden only to find it emptied by a squirrel minutes later, you'll already know the pesky rodents are smart. Now scientists have shown that squirrels can remember problem-solving techniques for long periods and can apply them to new situations. Research found grey squirrels quickly remember how to solve a problem they have not seen for almost two years, and also quickly work out how to use those skills in a redesigned version of the same test. Animal intelligence is generally judged by how well a creature can adapt to its environment and make use of resources around them. Squirrels have shown they can live almost anywhere, by spreading from North America to other regions, including the UK where they have all but replaced the native red squirrel.

Glance down the intricate family tree that connects the myriad successful Lego video games, and something striking is missing throughout the lineage. Most of those releases have only made cursory attempts at including that defining ability of the real-world toy: uninhibited construction. Aside from curio releases like the 1998 PC title Lego Creator, games based on the iconic bricks tend to allude to creativity, rather than offering freeform building in an unbridled form. And yet Minecraft – with 120m sales and counting – has proved that there is huge potential in the idea of open-ended construction-focused games. Indeed, as Mojang's creation evolved from a darling of the indie community to an international merchandising empire, it was comparisons with Lego that made the game easy to understand for players and, importantly, their parents.