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Chimpanzees and bonobos have human-like friend circles, study finds
Key takeaways
- Humans often organize their relationships into layers, spending the most time with a small group of close friends and family while maintaining weaker connections with a larger number of acquaintances.
- Researchers from Utrecht University and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found that chimpanzees and bonobos, our closest living relatives, also form social networks that resemble human friendship circles.
- Great Apes Build Human-Like Social Networks
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
Humans often organize their relationships into layers, spending the most time with a small group of close friends and family while maintaining weaker connections with a larger number of acquaintances. A new international study suggests that this pattern is not unique to people.
Researchers from Utrecht University and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found that chimpanzees and bonobos, our closest living relatives, also form social networks that resemble human friendship circles. The findings provide new insight into how complex social relationships may have evolved.
Great Apes Build Human-Like Social Networks
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