re: How are humans so much more advanced than any other animal on Earth?

I think that part of the leap our species made came on the heals of our learning to control/manipulate/create fire. The theory is that our bodies started absorbing a great deal many more nutrients from cooked animal meat over raw meats. The effect on our brains was particularly strong and is part of what allowed us to evolve so rapidly relative to other species.

Koko the gorilla literally has a higher IQ than a couple of members of Congress in the news recently, maybe we shouldn't crow too loudly about all our smartz

We killed all the competition. The whole tools thing was a game changer

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See if you out smell a grizzly bear, or out see an eagle

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What in the hell does that have to do with how much smarter humans are?

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As far as advancement, let's not be arrogant. We do a lot of stupid things.

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Yes, humans do stupid things relative to the intelligent things we do, but on the whole we are much smarter than any species on Earth.

Self awareness is the most important factor

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Hell, cats are probably more rational that humans but they can't pass on knowledge. That's the key.

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Then tell me why a kitten can use a cat box in 3 weeks but a human baby takes a year or more?

Human babies are born at an earlier developmental state than other animals. We are also born as more or less "blank slates," compared to other animals which are born with large banks of instinctual knowledge. This has two main effects:

1. Parents must be much more active in teaching children how to cope for themselves, which promotes non-genetic transmission of knowledge and ideas from one generation to the next, and

2. Because humans' brains are less developed at birth, they have an increased capacity for learning during their early life, as their brains are more adaptable to receipt and long-term storage of new information.

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Then tell me why a kitten can use a cat box in 3 weeks but a human baby takes a year or more?

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Exactly. Cause the kitten figures it out pretty quickly but the authorities will bust your arse for training your kid to use a litter box.

Reading a book now by James Rollins that talks a great deal about this. They call it the "great leap forward". They attribute it mostly to a merge of neanderthal and homo sapiens, diet, mobility and control of fire. Cranium capacity and brain matter "folding" also allowed for increased storage.