NOT A CHIMP

Are 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?

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Identification of gene that influences joint attention in chimpanzees provides insight into autism spectrum disorders

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-02-identification-gene-joint-attention-chimpanzees.html

Interesting news from Larry Young and Bill Hopkins from Yerkes Primate Centre. They have been looking at the heritability for joint attention - the essential foundation stone for theory of mind and social intelligence. it builds on work on variants of the vasopressin receptor gene, reported in NOT A CHIMP - transferring the work from prairies voles to chimps. They lack a key repetitive element in the receptor gene that humans have.