To be conscious and to be self-conscious (sentient) are different things.
They explain this in the article. These scientists talk about a basic level of consciousness that does not include a notion of self. This would put the bees in the same category with animals that experience for example pleasure and pain but have no notion of self. You may disagree with calling that consciousness, but it is at least consistent
And play isn't "useless". It's not surprising that a lot of play (cats and dogs pouncing on toys, puppies and kittens wrestling with each other) is obvious practice for things they do when they aren't playing.
Good point. There must be some as-yet-undiscovered football league for bees, for when they're not just playing around. ;)
most maybe, but definitely not all play is practice for anything. a crow sliding down a roof on its back in the snow over and over again for fun isn't practice for anything it ever needs to do, and neither is instigating a fight between 2 cats just to watch, probably.
Bees are conscious because we assume they are playing and can’t imagine any other reasons on why they did what they did.
“We don’t know, therefore consciousness” sounds an awful lot like “We don’t know, therefore God”.