Fair Play in Chimpanzees

User rating: 4.4 / 5 after 5 vote(s)

Illustration of the testing environment. The proposer who makes the first choice sits to the responders left. The apparatus which has two sliding trays connected by a single rope is outside of the cages. (A) By first sliding a Plexiglas panel (not sh ...
Illustration of the testing environment. The proposer, who makes the first choice, sits to the responder's left. The apparatus, which has two sliding trays connected by a single rope, is outside of the cages. (A) By first sliding a Plexiglas panel (not shown) to access one rope end and by then pulling it the proposer draws one of the baited trays halfway toward the two subjects. (B) The responder can then pull the attached rod, now within reach, to bring the proposed food tray to the cage mesh so that (C) both subjects can eat from their respective food dishes (clearly separated by a translucent divider). Credit: Jensen/Call/Tomasello
New research from the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany shows that unlike humans, chimpanzees conform to traditional economic models. The research, conducted by Keith Jensen, Josep Call and Michael Tomasello, used a modification of one of the most widely used and accepted economic tools, the ultimatum game.


Full story »

All News summaries from General Science news
All News summaries for October 05, 2007

Scientists search for answers from the carbon in the clouds

1 minute ago | User rating: not rated yet
An aerosol mass spectrometer developed by chemists from Aerodyne Research Inc. and Boston College is giving scientists who study airborne particles the technology they need to examine the life cycles of atmospheric ...

'Green' potato health risk can be eliminated by cutting away affected area

24 minutes ago | User rating: not rated yet
Potatoes that have turned 'green' can potentially contain a naturally occurring toxin called Glycoalkaloids (GA) and pose a risk to public health according to a review paper published in the latest online issue of SCI's Journal ...

N.M. researchers hope to cultivate 'calming herb'

3 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
(AP) -- The plant has been described by local residents as magical, its qualities almost mythical. The native herb yerba mansa, translated from Spanish as the "calming herb," has been used medicinally for ...

Population policy needed for the UK in order to combat climate change

4 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
The biggest contribution UK couples can make to combating climate change would be to have only two children or at least have one less than they first intended, argues an editorial published on BMJ.com today.

Zoo will reopen exhibit where 16 stingrays died

5 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
(AP) -- A zoo in suburban Chicago plans to reopen an exhibit where 16 stingrays died last week when a malfunction let the tank's water get too warm.