Chimpanzees

In what may put some of us to shame, apes instantly recognize family and friends that they haven’t seen in more than two decades, which is the longest ‘social memory’ in a non-human animal ever documented.

A new study is shaking up the world of evolutionary biology by offering some of the first evidence of menopause in a wild, non-human primate population. The findings complicate pre-existing ideas around the evolutionary function of menopause.

It has long been believed that our prehistoric ancestors started walking on two legs as they moved from the trees into the open environment of the African savanna. A new study of chimpanzees, however, suggests that such may not have been the case.

Surprising new research shows that chimpanzees and bonobos share common gestures and meanings. That's fascinating in itself, but it raises intriguing questions as to how sign language is inherited, and whether humans share any gestures and meanings with other apes.​

While robots have been able to play rock-paper-scissors for some time, researchers have now taught the fairly complex skill set associated with the game to chimps, demonstrating the primates' uncanny ability to understand circular patterns.