As everyone knows, we are sharing this earth with a few other closely related species. Of these, bonobos and chimpanzees are the closest relatives.
Chimpanzees are aggressive but show remarkably advanced traits of societal learning. Certain tribes learn tool use and continue in that specific use differently than nearby tribes. I'm not suggesting that some prefer Snap-on and some Dewalt; but that specific methods of creating and using sticks for termite collection, for example, vary between tribes even after contact with the other methods. This suggests a seemingly very human tendency to favour ones own tribal customs and knowledge. They are quite aggressive however and possibly so successful for that very reason. Perhaps this aggressiveness, so like our own, is the reason that they are often wrongly thought to be our closest cousin. They are simply one of two. Bonobos are the more peaceful cousin, long known to be caring and intelligent. They share more with us than chimpanzees and are rarely discussed, possibly because they most resemble Australopithecus - the famed "Lucy." The comparison to humankind is amazing; the bonobo walks upright (not exclusively), maintains strong tribal units, can learn human speech, and can breed at nearly any point in their oestrus cycle. They also love each other... a lot...and often...and with imagination... This is one reason that many people are uncomfortable touting the extremely close genetic and societal similarities, these apes prove that homosexuality is perfectly normal in african apes and even part of our makeup, which really offends the trilogy of cults. A new experiment has shown that bonobos do something else that even chimps won't, they share food. Chimpanzees are known to be caring to each other and often loan tools, but never food. Bonobos show yet another human attribute and prove yet again how amazing and beautiful our african ape heritage is. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18477-sharing-apes-what-bonobos-have-in-common-with-us.html -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
