Cows might be more intelligent than we thought. Image: Shutterstock   Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe at any time. Cows are not necessarily known for their intelligence, but that less-than-stellar reputation is beginning to change. A 13-year-old pet cow in Austria named Veronika uses brooms to scratch her back, which qualifies as a form of tool use. Tool use is considered a general marker for intelligence in animals. The domestic cow species that live in close contact with humans are also highly social animals, another sign of intelligence.  New research finds that one domestic species of cow ( Bos taurus taurus ) can recognize humans and distinguish between them.…