Monday, November 14, 2005

"Among Orangutans: Red Apes and the Rise of Human Culture"   posted by Theresa @ 11/14/2005 10:39:00 PM
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Short but interesting interview with Carel van Schaik (orangutan researcher) in the NYT:
Q. So your discovery that the orangutans learned tool use from one another explains "the rise of human culture" part of your book's subtitle?

A. Well, yes. Orangutans split off from the African lineage some 14 million years ago. If both chimps and orangutans make tools, our common great ape ancestor probably had the capacity for culture.