© Pint of Science, 2024. All rights reserved.
Ever wondered how important grandparents are to killer whales? Or how chimp communication can tell us about ourselves? This night will explore memories and communication in whales and chimps. Two researchers from the University of York will provide their insights into what we know so far about the secret lives of these fascinating animals, and shed light on how studying other animals can give us a greater understanding of ourselves.
Evolution of language – what do chimps have to say?
Katie Slocombe
(Senior lecturer, Psychology, University of York)
Human language is highly complex, and investigating how it evolved is a real challenge as spoken language leaves no physical remains. One way of estimating which aspects of language are unique to humans and which aspects are more ancient, is to compare the communication of humans and our closest living relatives; chimpanzees. We will explore how wild and captive chimpanzees use their vocalisations to communicate with each other. This will then enable us to then look at key similarities and differences between chimpanzee and human communication.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.