Safe haven for chimps - Nature of things

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives; it’s a well-known fact. But what does that really mean? For many decades, it meant that chimpanzees were used as substitutes for humans. We are so like them that scientists believed that their bodies could be used to gain a deeper understanding of everything from brain function to the efficacy of certain drugs. But we now know that our close bond with chimpanzees is about much more than just our shared physical traits. We’ve learned that what we once considered uniquely human -- social intelligence, wide-ranging emotions, non-verbal communication, tool use -- is anything but. As Jane Goodall says in Safe Haven for Chimps, “chimps show there’s no sharp line dividing us from the rest of the animal kingdom.” Biomedical research on chimps has persisted, despite everything we’ve learned. The U.S. is one of the last countries to allow it. But now that’s changing, signaling an evolution in our thinking. The Nature of Things is hosted by the world-renowned genetici