Chimpanzees can SPEAK, scientists claim after reviewing old footage - so, can you tell what these apes are saying?
Many scientists believe that the one thing that separates humans from our primate relatives is our unique ability to speak.
But new research suggests that the Planet of the Apes could be just around the corner, as scientists claim that chimpanzees can speak after all.
An international team of scientists reviewed footage of chimps who had been raised by humans in conditions which would now be considered unethical.
Their analysis of this footage, filmed in 1962, suggests that chimpanzees are capable of saying simple human words such as 'mama'.
This discovery could overturn old assumptions about ape psychology and show that the neural 'circuitry' of language evolved earlier than previously thought.
Many scientists believe that the one thing that separates humans from our primate relatives is our unique ability to speak.
But new research suggests that the Planet of the Apes could be just around the corner, as scientists claim that chimpanzees can speak after all.
An international team of scientists reviewed footage of chimps who had been raised by humans in conditions which would now be considered unethical.
Their analysis of this footage, filmed in 1962, suggests that chimpanzees are capable of saying simple human words such as 'mama'.
This discovery could overturn old assumptions about ape psychology and show that the neural 'circuitry' of language evolved earlier than previously thought.
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TechTranscript
00:00There are two chimpanzees in Rome who have brought a new twist in communication between
00:10animal and human.
00:11Now, we don't mean the dance, we mean Renata.
00:14She's a chimp with an IQ that has scientists climbing trees.
00:18With her trainer, Renata has developed a routine that draws applause from everyone.
00:22As explained by her foster mother, this is one of the most extraordinary chimps in the
00:26world.
00:27You don't have to know Italian to understand Renata's accent when she gets her cue.