tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76357502415836670022024-03-13T14:29:39.970+00:00NOT A CHIMPAre we humans simply remodelled apes? Chimps with a tweak? Is the difference between our genomes so minuscule it justifies the argument that our cognition and behaviour must also differ from chimps by barely a whisker? If “chimps are us” should we grant them human rights? Or is this one of the biggest fallacies in the study of evolution? NOT A CHIMP argues that these similarities have been grossly over-exaggerated - we should keep chimps at arm’s length. Are humans cognitively unique after all?Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-55334310888597896902017-02-09T15:15:00.001+00:002017-02-09T15:15:29.085+00:00Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot evolution<a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/nyio-cfa020817.php#.WJyHhGonOW4.blogger">Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot evolution</a>: An investigation into the evolution of human walking by looking at how chimpanzees walk on two legs is the subject of a new research paper published in Journal of Human Evolution.Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-70844475569379470182017-01-25T10:22:00.001+00:002017-01-25T10:22:12.776+00:00Human-Specific Cortical Synaptic Connections and Their Plasticity: Is That What Makes Us Human?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2001378" target="_blank">Interesting primer in PLoS Biology for a theory about human-specific neural plasticity</a>. The paper to which it refers <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2000237" target="_blank">can be found here.</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-51120933596828352732016-11-16T11:07:00.001+00:002016-11-16T11:07:09.209+00:00Genes for speech may not be limited to humans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Very interesting article in <a href="http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-11-genes-speech-limited-humans.html" target="_blank">Medical Express</a> which extends our knowledge of the widespread effects of the FOXP2 "speech articulation" gene throughout the animal kingdom. Erich Jarvis (better known for his research on bird vocalisation) has been looking at FOXP2 heterozygotes in mice and has shown that they suffer from ultrasonic vocalisation defects compared with normal wild-type mice. Clearly, FOXP2 has important effects on brain wiring for speech / vocalisation that greatly precede the emergence of human language. <a href="doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00197" target="_blank">Here is a link to the source paper.</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-25362955904189830782016-10-17T12:33:00.002+01:002016-10-17T12:33:40.283+01:00Chimps May Be Capable of Comprehending the Minds of Others<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What a turn up for the books! <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chimps-may-be-capable-of-comprehending-the-minds-of-others/?WT.mc_id=SA_MB_20161012" target="_blank">This article in Scientific American</a> - about research at the Max Planck Institute which has come up with a novel chimp-relevant way of testing for theory of mind - suggests that chimps know more than other tests reveal about the hidden workings of the minds of others.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-65389217034615146772016-09-16T12:21:00.001+01:002016-09-16T12:21:35.918+01:002nd Tool-Using Crow Species Found<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Scientists from the University of St. Andrews <a href="http://www.livescience.com/56095-hawaiian-crows-use-tools-to-get-food.html" target="_blank">report their research on tool use in an endangered Hawaiian crow</a>. The source paper is here in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v537/n7620/full/nature19103.html" target="_blank">Nature</a>.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-22725583171460940532016-06-14T10:25:00.002+01:002016-06-14T10:25:37.404+01:00Birds have primate-like numbers of neurons in the forebrain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/06/07/1517131113.abstract.html?etoc" target="_blank">http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/06/07/1517131113.abstract.html?etoc</a><br />
Never call someone a "bird brain" again! This report has been a long time coming and shows that many bird species cram an unbelievable number of neurons into the forebrain of brains no bigger than a nut. There are more neurons in the forebrain of a bird with a brain the size of a walnut than a macaque with a brain the size of a lemon. </div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-87129158970679854762016-05-16T15:58:00.002+01:002016-05-16T15:58:27.763+01:00Ravens attribute visual access to unseen competitors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160202/ncomms10506/pdf/ncomms10506.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160202/ncomms10506/pdf/ncomms10506.pdf</a><br />
A brilliantly inventive experimental protocol to try and establish whether or not ravens actually have a "theory of mind" by Tomas Bugnyar and colleagues. Will they change their food caching behaviour without seeing another raven witnessing them but on the suspicion that another raven might be in the vicinity (they can hear a raven call) and might be able to overlook (they understand that a peep hole in the wall of their enclosure could allow another individual to peep.) Bugbear says that by these criteria ravens do have a "theory of mind". They can imagine a situation in which another raven could see what they are doing and change behaviour accordingly.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-25872037133391127992016-05-09T13:26:00.001+01:002016-05-09T13:26:18.955+01:00Specific changes to non-coding RNA may be part of what makes us human<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2016-05-specific-non-coding-rna-human.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2016-05-specific-non-coding-rna-human.html</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-24919287619837478072016-05-08T09:36:00.000+01:002016-05-08T09:36:10.621+01:00Humans are the highest energy apes, making us smarter—but also fatter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/humans-are-highest-energy-apes-making-us-smarter-also-fatter?utm_campaign=news_weekly_2016-05-06&et_rid=40185312&et_cid=469387" target="_blank">http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/humans-are-highest-energy-apes-making-us-smarter-also-fatter?utm_campaign=news_weekly_2016-05-06&et_rid=40185312&et_cid=469387</a><br />
Lovely news for those like me who have been arguing for years for a "proper" distance to be drawn between us and the rest of the higher primates.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-89493985940710547082016-04-27T09:55:00.001+01:002016-04-27T09:55:50.094+01:00Despite their small brains—ravens are just as clever as chimps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2016-04-small-brainsravens-clever-chimps.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2016-04-small-brainsravens-clever-chimps.html</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-58787299862338709552016-03-09T16:19:00.001+00:002016-03-09T16:19:42.677+00:00Syntax is not unique to human language – the Japanese great tits “speak” in phrases too<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=161792&CultureCode=en" target="_blank">http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=161792&CultureCode=en</a><br />
<br /></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-57196153335492571802016-03-09T16:10:00.003+00:002016-03-09T16:10:08.387+00:00Chimpanzee accumulative stone throwing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/srep22219?WT.ec_id=SREP-631-20160301&spMailingID=50865547&spUserID=NzI1NTQ2NjU4NAS2&spJobID=880986484&spReportId=ODgwOTg2NDg0S0" target="_blank">http://www.nature.com/articles/srep22219?WT.ec_id=SREP-631-20160301&spMailingID=50865547&spUserID=NzI1NTQ2NjU4NAS2&spJobID=880986484&spReportId=ODgwOTg2NDg0S0</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-73788753064451769892016-03-04T10:15:00.003+00:002016-03-04T10:15:23.538+00:00Some birds are just as smart as apes: Researchers figure out similarities in brain architecture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=161717&CultureCode=en" target="_blank">http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=161717&CultureCode=en</a><br />
One of the authors of this report, Tomas Bugnyar, has done fascinating working the past on corvid intelligence.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-53915812164401903532015-12-23T18:03:00.001+00:002015-12-23T18:03:40.804+00:00Crows caught on camera fashioning special hook tools | EurekAlert! Science News<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uoe-cco122215.php#.Vnrh889fqss.blogger">Crows caught on camera fashioning special hook tools | EurekAlert! Science News</a>Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-41478779965022286112015-12-17T14:12:00.001+00:002015-12-17T14:12:40.637+00:00New twist in tale of dogs' origins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2015-12-tale-dogs.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2015-12-tale-dogs.html</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-15419269110585738282015-12-17T13:46:00.001+00:002015-12-17T13:46:41.646+00:00Dogs give friends food | EurekAlert! Science News<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uovm-dgf121615.php#.VnK8umkBS9U.blogger">Dogs give friends food | EurekAlert! Science News</a>Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-19827142709317821652015-12-16T10:22:00.001+00:002015-12-16T10:22:54.677+00:00New evidence of tool use discovered in parrots<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=159378&CultureCode=en" target="_blank">http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=159378&CultureCode=en</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-38074750536405374832015-10-09T11:09:00.001+01:002015-10-09T11:09:45.858+01:00UCSD researchers develop new microbiome analysis platform<a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20151008/UCSD-researchers-develop-new-microbiome-analysis-platform.aspx#.VheSYN5csPA.blogger">UCSD researchers develop new microbiome analysis platform</a>Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-40805315683890376882015-10-08T20:07:00.001+01:002015-10-08T20:07:38.228+01:00Research reveals new clues about how humans become tool users | EurekAlert! Science News<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/uog-rrn100815.php#.Vha-7ros2Z4.blogger">Research reveals new clues about how humans become tool users | EurekAlert! Science News</a>Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-62198646682720802602015-09-07T13:01:00.002+01:002015-09-07T13:01:31.269+01:00New Caledonian crows show strong evidence of social learning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2015-08-caledonian-crows-strong-evidence-social.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2015-08-caledonian-crows-strong-evidence-social.html</a><br />
<br />
More bright bird stuff!!</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-79678112289493012802015-08-21T09:57:00.001+01:002015-08-21T09:57:02.701+01:00Why we're smarter than chickens: Team uncovers protein part the controls neuron development<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2015-08-smarter-chickens-team-uncovers-protein.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2015-08-smarter-chickens-team-uncovers-protein.html</a><br />
<br />
Why does brain growth in some vertebrates (i.e. us) outstrip others? According to Ben Blencowe and his colleagues in Toronto one of the main engines for the gene evolution required is alternative splicing. It is one of the main mechanisms that amplify genetic distance between us and the rest of the higher primates, for instance, and i deal with it in the chapter ALADDIN'S CCAVE in "Not A Chimp". </div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-19634157783371741602015-08-05T11:59:00.000+01:002015-08-05T11:59:03.327+01:00New study shows how complex bonobo communication is similar to that of human infants.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://phys.org/news/2015-08-complex-bonobo-similar-human-infants.html" target="_blank">http://phys.org/news/2015-08-complex-bonobo-similar-human-infants.html</a></div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-40893977011477022982015-08-04T10:21:00.001+01:002015-08-04T10:21:56.345+01:00Dogs process faces in specialized brain area, study reveals | EurekAlert! Science News<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-08/ehs-dpf080315.php#.VcCEI17S_hM.blogger">Dogs process faces in specialized brain area, study reveals | EurekAlert! Science News</a>Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-5523183723761370122015-07-12T12:47:00.002+01:002015-07-12T12:47:55.451+01:00Evolutionary divergence of gene and protein expression in the brains of humans and chimpanzees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://gbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/07/10/gbe.evv132.abstract?papetoc" target="_blank">http://gbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/07/10/gbe.evv132.abstract?papetoc</a><br />
<br />
In not a chimp I resoundingly make the point that the differences between humans and chimps are more likely to be found in the crucial differences in gene expression between the two species rather than evolved sequence changes in genes per se. This paper, who's authors read like a who's who of human-chimp comparative biology - has just underlined this point very clearly by showing that gene expression is fairly similar over a range of metabolic processes, but in the brain, especially the caudate nucleus and the anterior cingulate cortex, they diverge dramatically, revealing "significant differences in neuronal communication, ion transport, and regulatory processes, whereas protein comparisons indicated differences in perception and cognition, metabolic processes, and organization of the cytoskeleton." The link above is to the full paper which is open access.</div>
Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7635750241583667002.post-6911576898150804772015-04-26T10:23:00.001+01:002015-04-26T10:23:28.818+01:00animal rights battle continues with chimpanzees at Stony Brook<a href="http://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/non-human-rights-battle-continues/11410#.VTyuU8Jmvvk.blogger">animal rights battle continues with chimpanzees at Stony Brook</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Latest update on the status of the Stoneybrook chimps. Are they humans or not? The madness continues.Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06707858088233682642noreply@blogger.com0