Can apes play pretend? Scientists use an imaginary tea party to find out
Summary
A new experiment suggests that apes might be able to play pretend, showing a form of imagination that was thought to be uniquely human. Researchers believe this finding could mean that the ability to imagine is not exclusive to humans.Key Facts
- Most children can play pretend by age 2.
- Pretend play involves imagining things that are not real, like a make-believe tea party.
- The experiment focused on apes in captivity to see if they could demonstrate pretend play.
- The study hints at apes having the ability to imagine, a trait previously considered unique to humans.
- Christopher Krupenye from Johns Hopkins University co-authored the study.
- The research suggests that imagination might have roots in species beyond humans.
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