Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Chimpanzees more empathetic than assumed – study
Bonobos and chimpanzees exhibit distinct physical and behavioral differences. Chimpanzees are typically larger and more robust, with a more muscular build, while bonobos are smaller and leaner, with proportionally longer limbs. Bonobos are known for their relatively peaceful social structure while chimpanzees have a more hierarchical and aggressive social structure, with male dominance and frequent aggression. It had been thought that chimps were not as empathetic to each other as bonobos, but a new study found that chimpanzees do comfort each other when in distress, just like bonobos do. The study compared the behaviors of 40 bonobos in D.R. Congho and 50 chimpanzees in Zambia when in distress, such as a fight, and found that both species consoled each other by embracing, hand-holding, and touching like humans. Also, the younger the apes were, the more empathetic they were to each other, which suggests emotional sensitivity is developed in their early stage. After all, both bonobos and chimpanzees share over 98% of their DNA with humans.
Read the article and learn how empathetic to each other our close relatives are.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y45ylrv0xo
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