Researchers say that bonobos, our closest living relatives, are capable of playing make-believe similar to children. The study used Kanzi, a 44-year-old bonobo, who was trained to identify imaginary objects in pretend scenarios.
The researchers found that Kanzi could distinguish between tangible and imaginary liquids in two experiments. In the first experiment, Kanzi correctly identified which cup contained juice after being presented with two empty cups and pretended to fill one with an empty jug. This showed that Kanzi understood the concept of pretend liquids.
In a second experiment, Kanzi was asked to choose a cup containing real liquid or an empty one, and he chose the correct cup in 14 out of 18 trials. The researchers believe that this suggests Kanzi could distinguish between tangible and imaginary juice.
The ability to make-believe is thought to have evolutionary roots, with scientists suggesting that it may date back to our common ancestor with bonobos. This would mean that humans share this cognitive ability with our closest living relatives, which could be a key part of our shared ancestry.
The study also suggests that the capacity for imaginative thinking is not unique to humans. Researchers found that Kanzi was able to correctly identify the location of an imaginary grape placed in one of two transparent containers, demonstrating his understanding of pretend objects.
However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and determine whether other bonobos without Kanzi's unique rearing and learning environment can also play make-believe.
The researchers found that Kanzi could distinguish between tangible and imaginary liquids in two experiments. In the first experiment, Kanzi correctly identified which cup contained juice after being presented with two empty cups and pretended to fill one with an empty jug. This showed that Kanzi understood the concept of pretend liquids.
In a second experiment, Kanzi was asked to choose a cup containing real liquid or an empty one, and he chose the correct cup in 14 out of 18 trials. The researchers believe that this suggests Kanzi could distinguish between tangible and imaginary juice.
The ability to make-believe is thought to have evolutionary roots, with scientists suggesting that it may date back to our common ancestor with bonobos. This would mean that humans share this cognitive ability with our closest living relatives, which could be a key part of our shared ancestry.
The study also suggests that the capacity for imaginative thinking is not unique to humans. Researchers found that Kanzi was able to correctly identify the location of an imaginary grape placed in one of two transparent containers, demonstrating his understanding of pretend objects.
However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and determine whether other bonobos without Kanzi's unique rearing and learning environment can also play make-believe.
. And it makes me wonder if we humans have stumbled upon something that our ancestors already knew but lost over time? Maybe this is why we love playing pretend as kids, it's like an evolutionary leftover from our bonobo cousins 
. But for real, more research is needed to see if other bonobos can do the same thing without Kanzi's special training 
.
This study just made me think, if we can imagine a world with AI like Kanzi, where does that leave us in 20 years? 
I'm also loving the fact that this could be a key part of our shared ancestry, it's like we're not as different from these amazing creatures as we think. The idea that imaginative thinking isn't just human is like, mind blown, right? 
It's just so cool & I need more info ASAP! 
I mean, Kanzi is 44 and still figuring out pretend liquids? that's insane 
️ I'm all for more research on this topic and exploring how we can learn from our primate cousins 
! It's like they're saying our closest living relatives are basically little kids at heart, but in a more intelligent way 
. I mean, Kanzi was able to distinguish between real and imaginary liquids – it's like he knew the difference between his Netflix password and his actual juice 
. It makes me wonder if we're all just a bunch of primates who love to pretend 
. I'm curious to see what other findings come out of this research, but for now, let's just say Kanzi is the ultimate improv master 
!
. I don't think we should be like "oh no, Kanzi's playing make-believe? That means he's not as smart as us" 
. Anyway, this study is interesting and I'd love to see more research on it 
I mean, Kanzi was able to distinguish between real and imaginary liquids, which is totally wild. It's like he was playing a game of " juice or not juice" 
It's crazy to think we share this cognitive ability with 'em, and maybe even further back in our evolutionary history. 44 years old, Kanzi's been trained and still gets it right? That's like me tryin' to figure out what I had for breakfast at 50! 
