Ronan the head-bobbing sea lion proves animals can keep a beat: ‘No human was better’

Ronan, a 15-year-old California sea lion, continues to wow audiences with her rhythmic skills, even as she ages. She can groove to both electronic and rock music, excelling particularly in following beats from genres like disco. Thanks to studies by behavioral neuroscientist Peter Cook, scientists now recognize that Ronan's talent isn't unique to humans but also exists in other animals, including non-communicating species. A recent study led by Cook confirmed that Ronan maintains her superior ability to detect and follow rhythms, even when tested with different tempos not previously encountered, outperforming both herself as a child and human participants.