Chimpanzee News and Research

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Study reveals evolutionary advantage of human heel-first walking style

The average person takes thousands of steps each day, instinctively walking heel-to-toe. Although they hardly register them, those consistent heel-first strides are more unique to humans than previously thought and allowed early hominins to walk farther more efficiently, but at the cost of higher impact forces on bones and joints, according to a new study led by a researcher at Penn State.

7 Sep 2026

New research highlights carbohydrate role in early human brain development

Fruit, honey and other naturally sweet foods may have helped fuel the evolution of the human brain, according to new research from the University of Sydney and the University of Glasgow.

7 Aug 2026

Chimpanzee urine confirms widespread alcohol consumption in the wild

Aleksey Maro knows far more than he cares to know about the urination habits of chimpanzees. But if you want to measure the alcohol intake of chimps in a Ugandan rain forest, where a breathalyzer is impractical, collecting urine for analysis is your only choice.

24 Feb 2026

New research sheds light on what makes the human brain unique

Research from scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on an age-old question: what makes the human brain unique?

13 Aug 2025

Mitochondria depletion in stem cells offers insights into cellular energy and evolution

By using a genetic technique developed at UT Southwestern Medical Center that forces cells to rid themselves of mitochondria, researchers are gaining new insights into the function of these critical organelles.

7 Jul 2025

Chimpanzee blastoids offer clues to early embryogenesis

Understanding how cells differentiate during early embryonic development is crucial for advancing regenerative medicine and developmental biology.

25 Apr 2025

Professor Inga Neumann advances understanding of oxytocin and social fear

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, Professor Inga Neumann, Chair of the Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology at the University of Regensburg, reveals groundbreaking insights into how oxytocin shapes social behavior and emotional responses in the brain.

24 Dec 2024

Great ape museum specimens reveal secrets of DNA virus evolution

Scientists screened great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses, revealing insights into viral evolution and host-virus associations spanning decades.

2 Dec 2024

Boosters cut long COVID risk significantly

Vaccination, especially booster doses, reduces the risk of long COVID by up to 29%, highlighting its critical role in preventing lingering Omicron-era complications.

25 Nov 2024

Mucosal COVID-19 vaccine prevents airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2

The impact of mucosal versus intramuscular vaccine immunization on airborne infection and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Syrian hamsters.

5 Aug 2024

Unexpected T-cell reactions to adenoviral COVID-19 vaccines discovered

Researchers from the University of Liverpool's Centre for Drug Safety Science have identified unpredicted T-cell immune responses to the adenoviral (Oxford/AstraZeneca and Janssen) COVID-19 vaccines, but not to the mRNA vaccines.

19 Jul 2024

Chimpanzees seek out tree bark and ferns with medicinal benefits, researchers discover

Researchers investigated the behavioral and pharmacological effects of self-medicative plants in the diets of Budongo chimpanzees.

25 Jun 2024

Chimpanzees' use of forest plants for healing

Chimpanzees appear to consume plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, according to a study publishing on June 20 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Elodie Freymann from the University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues.

20 Jun 2024

Noninvasive heart rate monitoring in chimpanzees using millimeter-wave radar

Measuring the heart rate of great apes in captivity is essential for both health management and animal studies.

19 Jun 2024

Wild Sumatran orangutan uses medicinal plant to treat facial wound

Researchers documented the first observed case of a wild Sumatran orangutan actively treating a wound using a medicinal plant, offering insights into the origins of self-medication in non-human species.

5 May 2024

Serious monkey business: Chimpanzee heart check via digital camera

A world-first experiment to measure chimpanzee heart rates via a digital camera could help curb cardiovascular disease in great apes in captivity and provide valuable insights into how their brain develops from an early age.

5 Jul 2023

Researchers identify regions of the viral envelope of simian foamy viruses targeted by neutralizing antibodies

A recent study characterized epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies from individuals infected with simian foamy virus.

26 Apr 2023

Study elucidates the genetics of preterm birth and pregnancy length

New knowledge of the genetic factors behind premature delivery and gestational duration has now emerged.

3 Apr 2023

The effectiveness of intranasal COVID-19 vaccination in healthy adults

A recent study discusses the safety profiles and immunogenicity of the nasal BBV154 COVID-19 vaccine in healthy adults.

3 Feb 2023

Experimental vaccine against Marburg virus shows promise in first-in-human clinical trial

A newly published paper in The Lancet shows that an experimental vaccine against Marburg virus (MARV) was safe and induced an immune response in a small, first-in-human clinical trial.

30 Jan 2023