Chimps Display Humanlike Good Will Oct 20, 2009
October 19, 2009 Without having been trained to do so, chimps in a Japanese study helped their fellow apes access elusive juice. The researchers say this adds to evidence that chimps are more similar to humans than previously thought. (National Geographic)
Monkey drumming suggests origin of music Oct 17, 2009
"Hence, drumming originated as a form of , possibly in an ancestral species common to apes and old-world monkeys, early during primate evolution.". The researchers suggest primate drumming might represent a precursor of. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Drought wiping out Kenya wildlife Oct 16, 2009
What do elephants, rhinos, great apes, bears, big cats, sharks, parrots and marine turtles have in common. They're all threatened by the illegal wildlife trade. (MSNBC -- International)
Did humans start walking for sex? Oct 15, 2009
In apesboth modern apes and, presumably, the ancient ancestors of Ardipithecusmales find mates the good old-fashioned apish way: by fighting with other males for access to fertile females ... Furthermore, it's not even clear there was a canine reduction in Ardi - the trait is seen in many Miocene apes, so it could have been inherited, not new ... We evolved from apes. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Ten national parks that make for the perfect holiday Oct 15, 2009
There are 6 sq miles of temples, palaces and fascinating remnants of the millennia-old Mayan civilisation , besides a wealth of wildlife like apes, parrots and large toucans. In Jasper National Park, Canada (Al 00004000 berta) follow the trails of grizzly bears, coyotes and wolves in the fissured mountain landscape. (India Times)
FALCONS: 5 things we learned from the San Fran Beatdown Oct 13, 2009
Yeah, those Fax Sports booth apes really irked my butt. They spent the first quarter hooting up the 49ers D and all of the second half denying that they had even mentioned it. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
Orangutans Unique In Movement Through Tree Tops Oct 13, 2009
13, 2009) Movement through a complex meshwork of small branches at the heights of tropical forests presents a unique challenge to animals wanting to forage for food safely. It can be particularly dangerous for large animals where a fall of up to 30m could be fatal. (Science Daily)
gorilla@bwindiforest.ug? Oct 4, 2009
Article By: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:13 Uganda has launched a scheme to allow gorilla lovers without the time or money to visit the endangered apes in person, to become virtual friends with them on the net, officials said. Thanks to a system of cameras placed in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the extreme south-west of the country, enthusiasts will be able to watch the gorillas feed, charge through the undergrowth and maybe even give birth, Moses Mapesa Wafula, the head of the Uganda Wildlife... (iAfrica.com)
Before Lucy came Ardi, new earliest hominid found Oct 3, 2009
The lines that evolved into modern humans and living apes probably shared an ancestor 6 million to 7 million years ago, White said in a telephone interview. But Ardi has many traits that do not appear in modern-day African apes, leading to the conclusion that the apes evolved extensively since we shared that last common ancestor ... White noted that Charles Darwin, whose research in the 19th century paved the way for the science of evolution, was cautious about the last common ancestor between... (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Oldest pre-human revealed Oct 2, 2009
In male chimps and other modern apes, the canines are long and sharp and built for aggressive slashing, White explained. In one of the Science papers published today, Owen C. Lovejoy, a renowned biological anthropologist at Kent State University in Ohio, argues that Ardi's teeth offer strong evidence that the Ardipithecus tribe had already evolved to become pair-bonded. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
Oldest hominid skeleton sheds light on human origins Oct 2, 2009
Research into the Ardipithecus ramidus, nicknamed "Ardi," provides new insight into how hominids -- the family of "great apes" that includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans -- may share a common ancestor. A team of scientists from 10 countries participated in Ardi's discovery, and 11 reports on research into the find are published in the special issue of Science. (Yahoo! Asia News)
4.4-Million-Year-Old Fossil Brings Huge Surprises About Human Origins Oct 2, 2009
In apes and in chimpanzees, the canines are huge and long and sharp, for attacking other males and fighting. But Ardi had small canines, apparently because she -- and her male ancestors -- were cooperating with each other. (W-USA News, DC)
Pre-human ancestor lived 4.4 mil years ago Oct 2, 2009
Scientists believe that humans and apes both descended from a "last common ancestor," an even more primitive primate that lived between 7 million and 9 million years ago ... "Ardi was not a knuckle-walker (like apes)," Lovejoy said. (AZCentral -- News)
Ardi the Ethiopian fossil 'earliest human ancestor' Oct 2, 2009
Some of the characteristics of the animal's skeleton are said to echo features seen in very ancient apes; others presage traits seen in later, more human-like species ... And because many of Ardipithecus' traits do not appear in modern-day African apes, it suggests this common ancestor may have existed much further back in time than had previously been supposed - perhaps seven or nine million years ago ... Comparisons with modern chimp and gorilla anatomy also underline just how much these... (BBC News -- Africa)
Meet Ardi, the 4.4-Million-Year-Old Hominid Oct 2, 2009
4-million-year-old human forebearer they say reveals that our earliest ancestors were more modern than scholars assumed and deepens the evolutionary gulf separating humankind from today's apes and chimpanzees. The highlight of the extensive fossil trove is a female skeleton a million years older than the iconic bones of Lucy, the primitive female figure that has long symbolized humankind's beginnings. (Fox News)
Ardi Is a New Piece for the Evolution Puzzle Oct 2, 2009
Every so often, though, fossil hunters stumble upon a discovery that fills in a big chunk of the puzzle all at once and simultaneously reshapes the very picture they thought they were building ... The elusive common ancestor's bones have never been found, but scientists, working from the evidence available especially analyses of Australopithecus and modern African apes envisioned Great-Great-Grandpa to have looked most nearly like a knuckle-walking, tree-swinging ape ... Her foot had an... (Time.com)
Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link Oct 2, 2009
The fossil puts to rest the notion, popular since Darwin's time, that a -like missing link resembling something between humans and today's apes would eventually be found at the root of the human family tree ... Ardi instead shows an unexpected mix of advanced characteristics and of primitive traits seen in much older apes that were unlike chimps or gorillas () ... As such, the skeleton offers a window on what the last common ancestor of humans and living apes might have been like. (National Geographic)
Various Methods of Mammalian Locomo... Oct 2, 2009
Biped animals such as humans or apes will often keep one foot on the ground to maintain balance during walking. Quadrupedal animals such as the cat or horse will keep three feet on the ground while walking. (Suite101.com)
Ardi displaces Lucy as oldest hominid skeleton Oct 2, 2009
CTs of the tooth enamel, for example, revealed that Ardi was an omnivore, eating a diet different from that of living African apes, such as chimps, which eat primarily fruit, and gorillas, which eat primarily leaves, stems and bark ... The hominid's lack of resemblance to either chimp or modern humans indicates that the last common ancestor of apes and humans looked like neither, he said, and that both lines have evolved significantly since they split 6 million years ago. (EurekAlert!)
Mammalian Reproduction and Offsprin... Oct 2, 2009
Mammals that live in complex societies such as humans or apes will produce one baby every few years. Mammals that live shorter lives, like mice, invest less time in raising offspring and are capable of breeding at an incredible rate. (Suite101.com)
Study Finds That Crows Can Remember Your Face Oct 1, 2009
"They have very large brains for their body size that are on the same parallel as apes and monkeys," says Marzluff. Marzluff's work is being highlighted in a documentary "A Murder of Crows" airing October 11, 2009 on CBC. Marzluff explains he and his team used masks to test the bird's intelligence. (FOX61, CT)
Darwin was right - up to a point Sep 30, 2009
In a view considered almost heretical by ultra-Darwinists such as Richard Dawkins, Conway Morris suggests that evolution cannot explain everything in biology, that the idea of evolution as entirely random is flawed, and that convergent evolutionary processes had to produce intelligence - as they have, not only in humans but apes, crows and dolphins ... Sophisticated intelligence where you can use imagination, think ahead, identify alternatives has evolved independently a number of times,... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates Sep 30, 2009
2, 2006) The great apes are the smartest of all nonhuman primates, with orangutans and chimpanzees consistently besting monkeys and lemurs on a variety of intelligence tests, Duke University Medical Center. (Aug. (Science Daily)
Loud and In Living Colour Sep 30, 2009
Black Rock Band Living Colour Releases New Album, The Chair in the Doorway. Wednesday, September 30, 2009. (Slate)
Baby orangutan to make debut this weekend at Audubon Zoo Sep 24, 2009
A baby orangutan is ready to make her first public appearance, while veterinarians and cardiologists team up in a unique medical program that has man and the great apes working together. 3-month-old Menari is getting her final medical exam before her big public appearance on Saturday. (WWLTV.com, LA)
'Barcodes' tackle bush meat trade Sep 19, 2009
"Conservationists are particularly worried about the impact on the more vulnerable species, which are the larger, more slowly reproducing species such as great apes, or elephants.". As well as causing problems for conservation there are health concerns over eating species like apes which are closely related to us, as there is a risk of transmitting diseases. (BBC News -- South Asia)
House Republican campaign chief: 'Speaker now likening genuine opposition to assassination'... Sep 18, 2009
Capitol Briefing - Republicans Denounce Pelosi for Warning Against 'Incitement. Get the latest on House and Senate votes. (The Drudge Report)
"The Newlywed Game" Goes Gay Sep 17, 2009
Primate definition: any of various omnivorous mammals of the order Primates, comprising the three suborders Anthropoidea (humans, great apes, gibbons, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys), Prosimii (lemurs, loris, and their allies), and Tarsioidea (tarsiers), esp. distinguished by the use of hands, varied locomotion, and by complex flexible behavior involving a high level of social interaction and cultural adaptability. (CBS News)
Conscious 'Metacognition' In Nonhuman Animals? Sep 15, 2009
He says "comparative psychologists have studied the question of whether or not non-human animals have knowledge of their own cognitive states by testing a dolphin, pigeons, rats, monkeys and apes using perception, memory and food-concealment paradigms. "The field offers growing evidence that some animals have functional parallels to humans' consciousness and to humans' cognitive self-awareness," he says. Among these species are dolphins and macaque monkeys (an Old World monkey species). Smith... (Science Daily)
The object of our desire Sep 12, 2009
Partly because it's very, very good but largely because when it was first mounted, back in 1947, it starred Superman's dad, the old bird from Cocoon, Zira from Planet of the Apes and the man who had the big nose from the American Express television commercials. Opening night was, as you might expect, swirling with the artistic cognoscenti, fafa-ing and rhubarb-ing around the Sydney Theatre. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Chimps pack specialized tool kits, scientists say Sep 11, 2009
However, the variety of techniques the apes have used has perplexed scientists for decades ... Tool-watching tools To better understand chimpanzee tool use, researchers from the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project spent a total of more than nine years investigating several communities of the apes throughout an 146 square mile area in Nouabal-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo ... "Our main difficulties were getting enough observations of apes in a habitat with dense vegetation, where one... (MSNBC -- Environment)
Obama: 'The Time for Games Has Passed' Sep 11, 2009
jus' like the other apes ... tho' otha apes CLEARLY have higher I.Q.s than ur munkeyASS. (Slate)
Top 5 Best and Worst Airplane Movies Sep 10, 2009
And while "Airport" doesn't have a line to touch Heston's immortal words from "Planet of the Apes" ("Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"), it did allow him to say the semi-immortal, "Climb, baby, climb!". "Baby" of course, was a 747 -- filled with oddballs, like an elderly movie goddess, a singing nun and assorted drunks -- all saved by our hero after a midair collision. (ABC News -- Business)
NOT FROM AFRICA: SKULL THAT REWRITES THE HISTORY OF MAN... Sep 9, 2009
A skull that rewrites the history of man - Science, News - The Independent. from The Independent & The Independent on Sunday. (The Drudge Report)
Counting Duplicated Genome Segments Now Possible Sep 7, 2009
The researchers noted that several human genes with the most variable copy numbers correspond to a torrent of segmental duplications that occurred within the common ancestor of apes and humans ... The ability to accurately and systematically determine the absolute copy number for any genomic segment is a notable step, the researchers added, toward a true and complete picture of individual genomes and how the genome shapes a person's characteristics. (Science Daily)
Zoo volunteers help explain mysteries of the genome Sep 7, 2009
" When Dr Badge and his team started the sampling programme at Twycross, they liaised with the Zoo vet, Nic Masters, to take mouth swabs from chimpanzees that had been anaethetised for routine vet procedures. However, Kris Hern, the Deputy Head of African Apes and Training Co-ordinator at Twycross, had a better suggestion. She thought that the chimpanzees could be trained to be swabbed. Dr Badge welcomed this opportunity to get more regular samples from more of the chimpanzees, since many of... (EurekAlert!)
Endless forms most beautiful Sep 6, 2009
IN his epic book On the Origin of the Species, Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) proposed that man shared a common ancestor with apes instead of appearing fully formed and perfect ... The History of the World features grand landscapes and scenes of prehistory inspired by the then fledgling science of geology and palaeontology ... In the minds of the public, Darwin is closely identified with the concept of humans descending from apes, and the exhibitions The Descent of Mankind section examines... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Chimpanzees Use 'Tool Kits' To Catch Ants Sep 3, 2009
"The use of tool sets is rare and has most often been observed in great apes," said Sanz ... "There is an urgency to learn about these behaviours as the existence of the apes in the Congo Basin is threatened by commercial logging, bushmeat hunting, and emerging diseases.". (Science Daily)
Australian art takes evolutionary turn Sep 2, 2009
It's a browsing book, in which the entries perhaps two or three to a double page are cleverly and usefully subtitled: Coprolite industry: how dino dung saved England , Hunting hypothesis: how apes killed a theory , Insect societies: most ancient social communities , Kidd, Benjamin: survival value of religion. The entries that Milner has chosen and written cover the conventional and the quirky. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Novel Genes: What Makes Us Uniquely Human Sep 2, 2009
They found that these DNA sequences in several species of apes and monkeys contained differences that would likely disable a protein-coding gene, suggesting that these genes were inactive in the ancestral primate. The authors also note that because of the strict set of filters employed, only about 20% of human genes were amenable to analysis. (Science Daily)
One-tank trip: Columbia, S.C. Aug 28, 2009
In other areas of the compound you'll find lions, leopards, apes and rare lemurs. A visit to the Botanical Garden reveals more than 4,000 species of flora and fauna across 70 acres. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
Are humans impossible to ape? Aug 27, 2009
Movements sprang up such as the Great Ape Project, founded in 1993 by the bioethicist Peter Singer, which argued that apes should be awarded some basic rights ... This activity led to two conclusions: that humans and apes were not that different, and that if 98 ... I don't understand why conservation of the great apes has become synonymous with human rights and their similarity to us, whereas conservation of wetlands or a million other species doesn't carry any such conflations. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
We have punks and jerks among us, but we also have angels Aug 26, 2009
Makes you wonder if it isn't the apes that should be insulted by the idea of Darwinian descent. Perhaps I'm extra sensitive on this matter because my brother has spent his life as a volunteer fireman and I know the kind of courage and dedication it takes to voluntarily run toward something most of us run from. (Anchorage Daily News)
Gaping Gila Monsters, Buzzing Insects, Clambering Ungulates: New Finds From Germany's Messel Pit Aug 26, 2009
(July 1, 2009) A new fossil primate from Myanmar (previously known as Burma) suggests that the common ancestor of humans, monkeys and apes evolved from primates in Asia, not Africa as many researchers. (Apr. (Science Daily)
Poll: Awesome or awful? Aug 23, 2009
Poll: 'Avatar' trailer = Awesome or awful. "This is great!" says the blue dude with the spooky eyes in the for "," the first new big flick from "King of the Oscars" (""). (The Drudge Report)
Key Feature Of Immune System Survived In Humans, Other Primates For 60 Million Years Aug 23, 2009
(July 20, 2006) The ability to spot venomous snakes may have played a major role in the evolution of monkeys, apes and humans, according to a new hypothesis by Lynne Isbell, professor of anthropology at UC. (Apr. (Science Daily)
How Intelligent are Dolphins? Aug 20, 2009
Dolphins or cetaceans have large brains, significantly larger than those of monkeys and apes and second only to the human brain ... According to a 2007 study of dolphin intelligence, dolphins can recognize themselves in a mirror, a rare ability that has only been demonstrated in elephants, great apes and humans. (Suite101.com)
W.H. Backs Right to Guns Outside Events Aug 20, 2009
Charleton Heston is dead and the Planet of the Apes isn't real ... Charleton Heston is dead and the Planet of the Apes isn't real ... Charleton Heston may be dead but according to the coveted & beloved bogus theory of evolution this is the Planet of the Apes when neanderthals dare not look up the name of Lon Horiuchi. (CBS News -- Politics)
Dogs Can Think Like Two-Year-Old Ch... Aug 20, 2009
The upper limit of dogs ability to learn language is partly based on a study of a border collie named Rico who showed knowledge of 200 spoken words and demonstrated fast-track learning, which scientists believed to be found only in humans and language learning apes, he said. Dogs Can Add Up. (Suite101.com)
Click to watch: One Michael Vick, Two Opinions Aug 18, 2009
Hello, this is what I'm talking about, the continual crimes against humans, then we have people going apes about dogs. I'm not for hurting any living thing but lets check all mis treatments, thank you StilBil2. (CBS News -- 60 minutes)
Monkey See, Monkey Do: Imitation Breeds Bonding Aug 17, 2009
The study reconfirms the notion that imitation is not uniquely human (past research has also shown that apes and monkeys easily recognize when they are being copied), and that our affinity for it may have roots in our evolution. What has never been precisely understood, though, is why we like to be parroted so much. (Time.com)
Life has new meaning in the Himalayas Aug 15, 2009
Finding new mammal species, especially primates - the order of beings that include lemurs, apes, monkeys and, allegedly, us humans - is ranked high in the "very rare" list among scientists worldwide. "The Arunchal macaque is also one of the highest-dwelling primates in the world, and certainly of all macaques, occurring between 1,600 meters and 3,500 meters about sea level," said the WWF report. (Asia Times Online)
Climbing To New Heights In The Forest Canopy Aug 13, 2009
This surprising discovery may explain the evolutionary edge that encouraged the tiny ancestors of modern humans, apes and monkeys. (Feb. (Science Daily)
Tarzan reconsidered in Paris exhibit Aug 12, 2009
The story of Tarzan was born in 1912 with the novel "Tarzan of the Apes." After the death of his parents, Lord and Lady Greystoke, who had been abandoned on the African coast by mutineers, Tarzan was adopted by a tribe of apes and his adventures began. The series of 22 books has been published in 56 languages and sold more than 15 million copies. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Weird News)
Are Ghanaians Stupid for Believing in God? Aug 12, 2009
It does not contain any evidence of the mythical Big Foot, which is supposed to be the transitional stage in mans evolution from apes. All evidence purported to establish the missing link theory have turned out to be hoax. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
What Lies Beneath Aug 11, 2009
The secular left claims we are evolutionary accidents who managed to crawl out of the slime and by "natural selection" stand erect and over millions of years outsmart our ancestors, the apes. If that is your belief, then you probably think health care should be rationed. (Townhall.com)
Rooks Use Stones And Water To Catch A Worm Aug 10, 2009
Christopher Bird of the University of Cambridge, lead author of the paper, highlighted the importance of the findings, stating: "Corvids are remarkably intelligent, and in many ways rival the great apes in their physical intelligence and ability to solve problems. The only other animal known to complete a similar task is the orang-utan. "This is remarkable considering their brain is so different to the great apes. Although it has been speculated in folklore, empirical tests are needed to examine... (Science Daily)
Click to read:Sotomayor Becomes First Hispanic Justice Aug 9, 2009
Ignoring the apes who think otherwise, half the population of this country, of this world, are women and therefore, the Supreme Court should be half women if this nation professes freedom and equality. It's not like it was a century ago, no big well of brilliant female legal minds then. (CBS News)
Renowned canine researcher puts dogs' intelligence on par with 2-year-old human Aug 9, 2009
"The upper limit of dogs' ability to learn language is partly based on a study of a border collie named Rico who showed knowledge of 200 spoken words and demonstrated 'fast-track learning,' which scientists believed to be found only in humans and language learning apes," Coren said. Dogs can also count up to four or five, said Coren. (EurekAlert!)
Clever rooks repeat ancient fable Aug 7, 2009
Christopher Bird, co-author on the paper, added: "Corvids are remarkably intelligent, and in many ways rival the great apes in their physical intelligence and ability to solve problems.". Please turn on JavaScript. (BBC News -- Science)
Orangutans only musicians in the animal world Aug 6, 2009
When youre walking the forest and you meet an orang-utan that not habituated to humans, theyll start giving kiss squeaks and breaking branches, says Madeleine Hardus, a primatologist at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, who has spent years documenting the practice among wild apes in Indonesian Borneo ... To determine if the leaves make a difference, Harduss team recorded a total of 813 calls produced by nine apes, and then measured the pitch of the different kinds of... (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Orangutan ruse misleads predators Aug 6, 2009
The apes employ the leaf trick when they are threatened by predators, according to scientists observing them ... This is used to ward off predators, giving them the impression the apes are a bigger target ... The apes make the sounds in response to approaches by snakes, clouded leopards, tigers or humans. (BBC News -- Science)
Orangutans Kiss Leaves to Sound Bigger and Badder? Aug 5, 2009
Sometimes the apes use just their lips; sometimes they kiss their fingers ... So perhaps, the new study says, the orangutans are trying to fool predators into thinking the apes are bigger than they actually are. (National Geographic)
Uganda: New HIV Strain Found Aug 4, 2009
These were HIV and its equivalent in apes, SIV.. The strain was a "significant" match with SIVgor - an immune deficiency virus found in gorillas. (allAfrica.com)
Malaria may have come from chimps - study Aug 4, 2009
Ayala's team sampled blood samples from 94 chimpanzees in Cameroon and Ivory Coast to find the apes' version of the parasite. "The closest known relative of P. falciparum is a chimpanzee parasite, Plasmodium reichenowi," they wrote. (AlertNet)
