Weekly: Chimps, bonobos and humans have more in common than you might think

Mar 7, 2025

Sophie Berdugo, a recent PhD graduate specializing in chimp behavior, shares fascinating insights from her research in Guinea. She reveals surprising similarities between chimps and bonobos, especially in their use of sexual interactions for social cohesion. Beyond this, she discusses chimps' unique tool use for cracking nuts, a vital skill that's at risk of extinction. The conversation also delves into groundbreaking archaeological findings that push back the timeline of ancient human tool use, reshaping our understanding of evolution and innovation.

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INSIGHT

Chimp and Bonobo Sexuality

Chimps and bonobos, humans' closest relatives, exhibit complex sexual behaviors.
These behaviors challenge traditional views of chimp aggression and bonobo peacefulness.

INSIGHT

Genital Contact and Feeding

Both chimps and bonobos use genital contact before feeding, potentially to manage tension.
This behavior occurs in various sexual combinations, suggesting a social function beyond reproduction.

ANECDOTE

Wild Chimp Behavior

Sophie Berdugo observed wild chimps in Bossou using sex to ease tension, especially among males.
The alpha male, JJ, only engaged in homosexual behavior during Berdugo's observation period.

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Episode 292

Chimps are often seen as our hyper-aggressive ancestral cousins, while bonobos are famously more peaceful and caring. But studies of their sexual habits and practices show they are much more alike than we realised. Both apes appear to use sex and genital contact not just to reproduce, but also to smooth tensions in the group, deal with stressful situations and handle conflict at feeding time. Sophie Bergudo has recently finished a PhD on chimp behaviour and shares insights from her time spent with wild chimps in Bossou in Guinea, West Africa. Beyond sex, she also explores a unique display of tool use among these chimps, who use stone tools to crack open nuts. Find out why this UN protected cultural behaviour is on the brink of extinction.

Ancient humans were using tools made from animal bones over 1 million years earlier than we thought. We know our ancestors used stone tools at least 2.6 million years ago, but have only had evidence of bone use from about 400,000 years ago. But now archaeologists have unearthed at least 27 bone tools from the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, that are at least 1.5 million years old - shifting our understanding of the evolution of these technologies.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is exploring ways to grow massive biological structures in space, to be used as telescope antennas, huge nets to catch debris or space elevators linking Earth’s surface to orbit. The idea is quite ‘out there’, even for DARPA. The question is, is it even possible?

Chapters:

(00:58) Sexuality of chimps and bonobos

(17:31) Ancient animal bone tools

(22:41) Creating biological space structures

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Sophie Berdugo, Jake Brooker and Katarina Almeida-Warren.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

Listen to our previous episode on why chimps are stuck in the stone age:

https://www.newscientist.com/podcasts/weekly-why-chimps-are-still-in-the-stone-age-and-humans-are-in-the-space-age/

Read Sophie’s article on ancient tools here:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435164-200-before-the-stone-age-were-the-first-tools-made-from-plants-not-rocks/

Read Rowan’s column on building a lunar space elevator here:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435200-200-how-a-space-elevator-could-make-trips-to-the-moon-affordable-for-all/

Image credits:

CSIC

Credit Jake Brooker/ Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust

Zanna Clay/ Lola ya Bonobo

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