COSMOS MAGAZINE
Young chimpanzees learn to communicate by watching their mums and maternal relatives, not their dads, according to fascinating new research from the University of Zurich.
Credit: Ray Donovan
Just like humans, chimps use facial expressions, gestures, and sounds — and this study shows these skills are mostly learned, not inherited.
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By observing 22 wild chimps in Uganda, researchers found that youngsters closely copy their mothers’ unique communication styles, creating family “dialects” of body language and vocal cues.
Credit: Ray Donovan
The findings offer fresh insight into how our own communication may have evolved.
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