Media Advisory 10-020
Study of Bonobos Offers Clues to What Makes Us Human

How did Homo sapiens come down from the trees, and why did no one follow?

View video Brian Hare discusses his work with bonobos and chimpanzees in his Aug. 24, 2010 lecture at NSF. Credit and Larger Version

August 16, 2010

View videos of Brian Hare's NSF lecture and bonobos at play and in experiments at the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As humans, we have two closest living evolutionary relatives: the well known chimpanzee and the little known bonobo. While chimpanzees and humans have the potential for lethal violence, bonobos have never been observed to kill one another, and are even highly tolerant of strangers.

In his NSF Distinguished Lecture, Duke University anthropologist Brian Hare will share latest findings from his research comparing the psychology of our two closest living relatives, from their ability to cooperate to how they make decisions. Ultimately, Hare will confront the question: Are humans really as far removed from the animal kingdom as we think?

This NSF Distinguished Lecture is sponsored by the NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences and the NSF Office of Legislative and Public Affairs.

Note: Visitors must RSVP to Josh Chamot in OLPA to register for a visitor pass for access to the Stafford II building. Contact Josh at jchamot@nsf.gov or (703) 292-7730.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Joshua A. Chamot, NSF (703) 292-7730 jchamot@nsf.gov

Program Contacts
Elizabeth Tran, NSF (703) 292-5338 etran@nsf.gov

Related Websites
Brian Hare Duke University homepage: http://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/people?subpage=profile&Gurl=/aas/BAA&Uil=hare
Brian Hare research website: http://www.eva.mpg.de/3chimps/
Website of Bonobo Handshake, a memoir featuring the research of Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods: http://www.bonobohandshake.com/
NSF Discovery: Humans Have a Lot to Learn From Bonobos, Scientists Say: http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116843&org=NSF

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

 Get News Updates by Email 

Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov
NSF News: http://www.nsf.gov/news/
For the News Media: http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsroom.jsp
Science and Engineering Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards Searches: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/