Do fish feel pain? Believe it or not, there’s a raging scientific debate about this — sparked by some recent new data. Apparently, Scottish scientists conducted some experiments and claimed first-ever proof that fish are conscious of pain. From CNN:

The Royal Society published on Wednesday the latest findings of experiments on bees stinging trout lips, which caused some of the fish to display a “rocking” motion, according to the Press Association.

The study at Edinburgh University and the Roslin Institute in the Scottish capital concludes that fish have nervous system receptors, or “polymodal nociceptors,” in their heads that respond to damaging stimuli.

The National Angling Alliance called the results “surprising”:

A spokesman said: “These findings are in direct contrast to the recent work of Professor James D. Rose of the University of Wyoming, who stated in the Reviews of Fisheries Science that fish do not possess the necessary and specific regions of the brain — the neocortex — to enable them to feel pain or, indeed, fear.”