Recently, I watched a Nova program (Ape Genius on PBS.org) about the difference between humans and apes. What was most interesting were some of the unknown facts that were shown as part of the program - while we've all seen footage or photos of chimpanzees lowering a blade of grass into a termite hole effectively fashioning a tool to fish the termites and eat them, this show carried footage of chimps actually making a spear out of a tree branch, sharpened points and all that and using the spear to hunt bushbabies. And, this method of hunting had spread among chimps which lived in that particular geographic area. So, if chimps were actually managing to make a tool for a specific purpose and this behaviour was being copied among the other chimps in the vicinity, the scientists wanted to know what was the limiting factor ?? What was the essential difference between apes and humans ??
Some answers emerged over a course of fascinating experiments. In one of them, researchers used a group of chimpanzees and a group of 3 year old kids to observe the differences in behaviour and thinking. They presented both sets of groups with a puzzle box. This box was opened by the researcher after performing a set of complicated steps, she would tap on the top of the box with a twig, slide some bolts, insert the twig into an exposed cavity and then open a drawer at the bottom of the box to pull out a treat. After demonstrating this to each group, both sets followed all the steps faithfully and performed the experiment succesfully.
Then, the researcher replaced this puzzle box with another one, which was the exact same in working but now transparent so that you could see what was happening inside. And it was apparent that the box had a false ceiling and all the steps that the researcher was doing were totally unconnected with the drawer containing the treat below. So, she demonstrated this to both groups, and asked them to repeat the process. What do you think happened ??
Completely and startingly contrary to my expectations, the chimps were the ones who realised that the procedure and the treat were unconnected and they ignored everything else, straight away opening the drawer and eating the treat, while every child repeated the entire process demonstrated to them before opening the drawer itself. The chimps had their end goal in sight and didnt want to waste any time getting there. No ability to think you say ??? Ultimately the conclusion that the researchers came to was that while the chimpanzees were able to think, mimic, feel emotion, even understand language and numbers, they were unable to learn from each other which formed the essential part of how humans communicate and exchange culture, starting from a parent teaching a child.
But, all of a sudden, Planet of the Apes doesnt seem so much science fiction does it? At times like this, I'm reminded how much of a product of biology and evolution we actually are. After all, we're just another dominant species on the surface of the earth, but unlike the other's that came before humans are the only ones who drastically change their habitat. And of course, the Earth has a way of sprucing it's dominant species - the dinosaur extinction, the Great Ice Age. Who knows when the next natural disaster will come about, a tsunami, Yellowstone erupting, or the earth being blasted away to build an inter-galactic highway.
What then, is the meaning of life and why are we really here? I know the complex answer is 42, it's the simple one I'm looking for ....
