Chimpanzees Demonstrate Advanced Tool-Making by Selecting Flexible Materials
New research reveals Gombe chimpanzees' deliberate selection of plant materials for termite fishing, offering insights into cognitive abilities and human technological evolution.
- Chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania select plant materials with specific mechanical properties for termite fishing tools, prioritizing flexibility.
- The study, published in iScience, provides the first comprehensive evidence of this deliberate material selection based on functionality.
- Researchers found that plants used by chimpanzees are 175% more flexible than unused alternatives, showcasing their intuitive understanding of material properties, or 'folk physics.'
- This behavior highlights cultural transmission of knowledge, as similar tool-making practices are observed in chimpanzee communities up to 5,000 kilometers apart.
- The findings have significant implications for understanding early human tool-making, particularly in the use of perishable materials that rarely survive in the archaeological record.
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