Chimpanzees Perform First Aid on Each Other, Study Finds, and It May Shed Light on the Evolution of Human Health Care
Researchers describe cases of chimps tending to others’ wounds, as well as a chimp that freed another from a snare
Researchers Discover That Chimps Drum Rhythmically, Suggesting Human Musicality Originated in Our Last Common Ancestor
Not only do chimpanzees maintain a rhythm while drumming on tree roots, but two subspecies use distinct tempos and techniques, according to a new study
Female Bonobos Assert Their Dominance Over Males by Banding Together, New Study Suggests
Bonobos, which are among our closest living relatives, live in rare societies where females tend to outrank males, even though males are larger and stronger. Scientists compiled decades of observations to explain why
There Might Be Something Human in the Way Bonobos Communicate—Their Calls Share a Key Trait With Our Language, Study Suggests
Researchers attempted to decode bonobo calls by recording their social context, then analyzed how the primates string together these vocalizations
See Stunning Illustrations of Prehistoric Life From One of the Most Renowned Paleoartists in the World
A new book highlights the beautiful work of Jay Matternes, an accomplished artist who drew everything from mammoths to early humans
When Bonobos Know What You Don’t, They’ll Tell You. It’s a Sign of a Cognitive Ability Called ‘Theory of Mind’
A first-of-its-kind study suggests bonobos, like humans, can understand someone else’s lack of knowledge—and adjust their actions accordingly
Do These Fossilized Teeth Belong to the World’s Smallest Great Ape?
Researchers say two teeth and a kneecap belong to a previously unknown species that lived in what is now Germany
Male Bonobos, Close Human Relatives Long Thought to Be Peaceful, Are Actually Quite Aggressive, Study Suggests
The new research found bonobos were three times more likely than chimpanzees to commit an act of physical aggression
Why Don’t Humans Have Tails? An Old Genetic Mutation Could Explain Why Monkeys, but Not Apes, Have the Extra Appendage
Scientists have pinpointed a genetic change that might have led the ancestors of humans to lose their tails
Great Apes Love to Tease, Poke and Pester, Suggesting the Urge to Annoy Is Millions of Years Old
The desire to get a rise out of others is a 13-million-year-old trait humans and great apes share with a common ancestor, new research suggests
What Caused the Mysterious Extinction of ‘Giganto,’ the World’s Largest Ape?
The massive primates were unable to shift their diet to keep pace with a changing climate, according to a new study, forcing them to eat less nutritious bark and twigs
Chimpanzees and Bonobos May Remember Faces for More Than 20 Years
The great apes, which are humans’ closest living relatives, appeared to recognize photos of their former acquaintances in a study, even decades later
Like Humans, Some Bonobos Cooperate With Outsiders
We might not be the only primates to display helpful behavior toward members of a different social group, a new study suggests
Wild Female Chimpanzees Go Through Menopause, Study Finds
Until now, menopause had not been documented in wild, non-human animals, except for a few species of toothed whales
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Celebrate World Gorilla Day With 15 Primate Pictures
These highlights from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest feature our close “cousins”
What the Largest-Ever Study of Primate DNA Reveals About Ourselves
The findings cover not only conservation and primate evolution, but also human health and diseases
See the Endangered Gorilla Born at the National Zoo
The baby western lowland gorilla is the zoo’s first since 2018
Early Apes Lived on Savannas, Not in Forests
Two new studies suggest that 21 million years ago African primates frequented edge habitat and fed on leaves
Great Apes Love to Spin Around—Here’s Why
A recent study suggests that apes, like humans, seek out altered mental states
Human Ancestors May Have Evolved to Walk Upright in Trees
Research on wild chimpanzees suggests searching for food in tree branches drove bipedalism
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