Toddlers are smarter than primates

Your toddler is even smarter than an adult chimpanzee, at least in some ways, the researchers claim.

A unique study when comparing the ability of toddlers with chimpanzees and orangutans has found that 2-year-old children have a social learning skill far ahead of primates. people.

In an examination of social learning, the researcher showed babies and chimpanzees how to open up a plastic tube to get food or toys inside. Children observe and imitate immediately. However, chimpanzees and orangutans again try to break the tube or use their teeth to pull out the contents.

The study was conducted by Josep Call - from Max Planck Evolutionary Anthropology Institute in Germany - on 102 2-year-old babies, 106 chimpanzees and 32 orangutans.

Scientists believe their findings provide a clearer view of human cognitive evolution. The human brain is three times larger than the brains of primates with the closest family, including chimpanzees. Orangutan is a little further away. According to the study, children are far ahead of the two species in terms of gesture communication skills , imitating others in problem solving and understanding of others.

The primates are closer to the younger ones in a number of other tests such as measuring material cognitive skills, including quantity and causality.

T. An