Turns out imagination is not unique to humans. A series of experiments has shown that a language-trained bonobo was able to distinguish real from fake objects and engage in pretend play.
Scientists sat down for a “tea party” with Kanzi to understand how the ape would respond to make-believe scenarios. The results have shown that apes might share the human ability to imagine. The scientists are now planning to expand the research by conducting similar experiments on other apes, including those that have not been language-trained.
Watch this video to see how Kanzi engages in pretend play.
This story first appeared on Mongabay
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