Ape Genius

The great apes, and especially chimps and bonobos, are our closest evolutionary relatives; we share with them about 98 to 99% of our genes. Yet, sometimes the differences between us are so vast as to seem more differences of kind than degree. That's right, don't expect chimps to fly themselves to the moon any time soon...

This great NOVA/National Geographic documentary explores, through some classic studies of ape and human behavior, the small differences that become great differences and help explain the divide. Finally, it beautifully concludes that our study and tendency to anthropomorphize ape mental processes may perhaps say more about our own minds than about theirs. Certainly something worth considering...

Check out more entries on the work of Jane Goodall and on Sue Savage-Rumbaugh's fascinating work with the famous bonobo Kanzi.
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