A team of scientists used the popular video game Minecraft to explore how humans combine individual instincts with social cues when learning in complex environments.

By tracking players’ actions and visual focus in a simulated foraging task, they discovered that success depends not on using just one strategy, but on being flexible, adapting between solo exploration and social observation. This novel experiment bridges a long-standing gap between traditional studies and real-world learning, revealing that human intelligence thrives on adaptability, especially in uncertain environments.

The uniquely human edge: social learning across generations.