Meh. As another commenter pointed out, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot) . Also I find the idea of "academic seriousness" very weird. I would never ever want to wake up with the thought of doing "serious science" all day. I want science (in my personal case, math) to be interesting, and thus fun.

"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play." - Heraclitus