News: Right-Handed Chimps Provide Clues

Right-Handed Chimps Provide Clues

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091117-chimps-right-hand-video.html

November 17, 2009

Uncovering another link between chimpanzees and humans, a new study
found chimps gesture mainly with their right hands. This indicates the
chimp brain's left side is used in communication, as in people.

Unedited Transcript:

A new study shows chimpanzees seem to use the left half of their brain
when communicating with other chimps, just like humans use the left
side of the brain for most language skills.

The findings suggest another link between humans and one of the
species most closely related to us.

The study was conducted with captive chimps at Yerkes National Primate
Research Center in Atlanta. The findings are published in the January
issue of the research journal: Cortex.

The scientists studied hand-use in 70 captive chimpanzees over 10
months. They recorded a variety of communicative gestures specific to
chimpanzees produced in different social contexts.

Study supervisor William Hopkins of Agnes Scott College, says they
found a predominance of the right hand for gestures, indicating use of
the left side of the brain.

Researchers also believe that the finding gives additional support to
the idea that speech evolved from gestures in our ancestors. They say
the gestures in apes share key features with human language, including
intentionality, referential properties and flexibility of learning and
use.

--
Bob.

.

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