In chimpanzees, cracking nuts cannot be improvised
As in a learning workshop: when chimpanzees manage to crack nuts with stones, it is not the result of chance but of real know-how acquired from their most experienced congeners, according to a published study Monday.
Chimpanzees are often considered the closest primates to humans, especially because they are capable of complicated tasks, such as using tools.
However, it is difficult to determine where this ability comes from. Some scientists attribute it to a "cumulative culture", by which certain non-human primates would transmit their skills from generation to generation, perfecting their techniques over time.
For other scientists, on the contrary, this form of social learning is specific to humans. In chimpanzees, the use of tools would develop spontaneous...
