The Myth of Human Exceptionalism: What Bonobos Know That We Don't

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In today's episode, we explore the remarkable world of bonobo cognition, where revolutionary research from Johns Hopkins University is challenging everything we thought we knew about primate intelligence. Watch as scientists uncover evidence that bonobos don't just communicate – they understand when others are missing crucial information and actively work to fill those knowledge gaps.

Follow researcher Townrow as he engages in an ingenious experiment where bonobos must decide whether to help him find hidden treats. What emerges is a fascinating demonstration of these apes' ability to grasp others' mental states – pointing insistently when they know their human partner is unaware of the treat's location, but remaining silent when they recognize he already knows where it is.

Featuring captivating footage of bonobos like the food-motivated Kanzi, who demonstrates remarkably deliberate communication strategies, this episode explores the profound implications of discovering that "theory of mind" – long thought to be a uniquely human trait – may have evolved millions of years ago in our common ancestors.

From laboratory experiments to wild observations, join us as we unravel one of primatology's most intriguing mysteries: just how much do our closest relatives understand about the minds of others? The answers may force us to reconsider not only what makes humans unique but also the very foundations of social intelligence in the animal kingdom.

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Transcript

0:34

Hey everyone, ready for another deep dive? Today we're gonna be talking about bonobos.>> Bonobos.>> And how smart they really are.>> Really smart.>> Yeah, so you know how humans, we often think we're at the->> Top of the food chain.>> Top of the food chain, the top of intelligence.>> Yeah.>> Well, this new research->> There's something in research that's gonna blow your mind.>> It really suggests that bonobos might be able to understand what we humans, what other individuals know.>> Yeah, and specifically what humans know. And I think this research from Johns Hopkins.>> Johns Hopkins.>> It was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.>> Yeah, that's a big one.>> That's a big one.>> So what did they do? How did they figure this out? Did they have a classroom and put them in little desks?>> No, no, no, they had a much simpler experiment, but clever, a really clever experiment.>> Right.>> So imagine a shell game, but with three cups and a treat hidden under one.>> Okay, got it.>> So there's a researcher and a bonobo sitting opposite each other with the cups between them. And then the researcher, well, the treat is hidden by someone else, and the researcher might or might not be watching.>> Ooh.>> Interesting.>> And that's really the key to this whole thing.>> So the researcher, like, sometimes knows where the treat is and sometimes doesn't.>> Exactly, and then they watch to see how the bonobo reacts.>> So what did the bonobos do? Did they just point at cups randomly?>> Nope, not at all. Here's the thing, they only ever pointed to the cup with the treat when the researcher didn't know where it was.>> Whoa, so it's like they knew that the researcher was missing information.>> Yeah, like they understood that, hey, this person needs help, they don't know where the treat is.>> So they weren't just going through the motions, they were actually trying to, like, help the researcher.>> It really seems that way, and they were very insistent to not just a casual point, like sometimes they'd even stick their fingers through the mesh of their enclosure.>> Wow, to get the point across?>> Yeah, like, hey, hello, look over here.>> That's amazing, that's incredible.>> Yeah, so this is what scientists call theory of mind.>> Theory of mind, I've heard that before, but could you break that down for me? What does that really mean?>> Well, it means you can recognize that other individuals, other beings, have beliefs and intentions that are separate from your own.>> So you're saying that the bonobos, like, understood that the researcher had a different belief about where that treat was.>> Exactly, they didn't just think, oh, I know where it is, so everyone must know where it is. They got that the researcher was missing a piece of the puzzle.>> That's pretty high-level thinking. It's not just basic instinct. We humans tend to think that we're the only ones who can do that.>> It is complex, and, you know, it makes you wonder just how much we underestimate other species.>> Like, how much is going on in those bonobo brains?>> Well, theory of mind, it's essential for so much of what makes us human, complex social interaction, cooperating, communicating, teaching, you know, even things like humor, it all relies on theory of mind.>> You're saying without theory of mind, we wouldn't be able to, like, get a good joke.>> Right. Think about sarcasm or irony. You have to be able to understand that the other person has a different perspective than you do.>> Wow, I never thought about it like that. This research is really mind-blowing. It's not just about bonobos finding a treat. It's about what it means to understand each other.>> You got it. It really changes how we think about intelligence and where these abilities come from.>> Yeah, because, I mean, we tend to think of, like, intelligence as this very linear progression. But maybe it's not so simple.>> Right, and the researchers, they think this capacity might have evolved a long time ago, millions of years, back when we shared a common ancestor with apes.>> Like, back in the day.>> Way back.>> I mean, that's really making me rethink things.>> Yeah, me too. It's really exciting.>> You know, I always love hearing what the researchers have to say about their findings.>> Oh, yeah.>> Do you have any quotes that, like, capture their reaction to all this?>> I do. Chris Krupeña, he's one of the co-authors of the study, he said, "Because this so-called theory of mind supports many of the capacities that make humans unique, like teaching and language, many believe it is absent from animals. But this work demonstrates the rich mental foundations that humans and other apes share and suggests that these abilities evolved millions of years ago in our common ancestors.">> Wow, so basically, we're not so different after all.>> Exactly. And, you know, the research team isn't stopping here. They're planning even more studies to investigate bonobos' motivations even further.>> So, like, what are they looking at next? What are they hoping to find?>> They want to know if the bonobos are actually trying to change the researcher's belief about where the treat is hidden, not just their behavior.>> Oh, so, like, not just getting them to point at the right cup, but actually, like, changing what they think is under there.>> Exactly. It's subtle but really important. Are they really getting into the researcher's head?>> That adds a whole other level of complexity to this. Wow. It's incredible to think about just how much we still don't know about how these animals think.>> Yeah, it's mind-blowing. It really makes you wonder what other amazing cognitive abilities we might uncover in the animal kingdom in the future.>> I can't wait to see what they find next.>> Me, too. This is just the beginning.>> This whole thing with the bonobos, it really makes me think about, like, other studies with primates, you know?>> Oh, yeah.>> Like, are there other examples where they've seen this kind of theory of mind stuff in apes?>> Definitely. There have been some really cool observations, especially with chimps in the wild.>> Oh, really?>> In the wild. Like, what have they seen?>> Well, there's this thing where chimps will, like, use vocalizations, like calls, to warn each other about danger, like if there's a predator hiding somewhere.>> Oh, yeah, watch out.>> Yeah, basically. But get this. They only seem to give those warnings when their buddies don't already know about the danger.>> So, like, they're thinking, "Does my friend know about this? Okay, I better tell him.">> Yeah, exactly. Like, they're taking into account what the other chimp knows before they decide to make a sound.>> That's wild.>> Yeah.>> It's not just an automatic reaction. They're thinking about it.>> It really adds to the whole theory of mind idea.>> So, we're getting these little glimpses into how their minds work.>> Yeah, and it makes you wonder just how much more is going on in there that we don't even realize.>> And it makes you think about, like, how we define intelligence.>> Totally. We humans have always put ourselves on this pedestal, but maybe we're not so special after all.>> Like, maybe intelligence isn't this straight line. Maybe it's more like a branching tree with all these different forms.>> Exactly. And each species has its own unique way of thinking and understanding the world.>> Which brings up another question, like, why do they do it? You know, with the bonobos and the chimps, are they acting out of self-interest? Or is there something more altruistic going on?>> It's a great question, and it's one that researchers are still trying to figure out. Is it pure self-interest? Are they manipulating others? Or is there genuine altruism at play? It's tough to say for sure.>> It's like we're trying to crack a code, trying to understand a whole different way of thinking.>> It really is. And then there's the question of, like, how did theory of mind evolve? Is it like a gradual thing, or does it just pop up at some point?>> I mean, it can't be a simple on/off switch, right?>> Probably not. It's likely that there are different levels of complexity, you know?>> Like maybe some species have a more advanced understanding than others.>> Right, exactly. And then there's the question of development, you know. Is it something they're born with, or do they learn it through social interaction?>> So many questions. It makes me want to go out and observe these primates in their natural habitat.>> Yeah, it's fascinating stuff.>> It's like the more we learn about other species, the more we learn about ourselves, too.>> Totally agree. It really challenges our assumptions about what it means to be intelligent and conscious.>> It really makes you wonder what other amazing cognitive abilities we might uncover in the future, right?>> Oh, absolutely. It feels like we're just scratching the surface. There's so much more to discover.>> It's really amazing to think that maybe we're not at the top of some intelligence pyramid.>> Right.>> Like maybe it's not so hierarchical, you know what I mean?>> It's more like a, I don't know, like a big landscape with different peaks and valleys representing different strengths.>> I like it.>> Different kinds of intelligence.>> Yeah, it's like it just shows how much diversity there is in life.>> Exactly.>> And how much we still don't understand.>> You know, there's this quote I always think about. It goes, "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.">> That's so true. We can't just measure everything by our own human standards.>> Right. We have to be open to different ways of thinking and knowing.>> So where do we go from here? How do we keep learning about animal intelligence without, you know, like imposing our own biases on them?>> Well, I think humility is a good place to start.>> Okay.>> We have to be willing to admit that we don't have all the answers.>> Yeah.>> And that we might be wrong about some things.>> And just be open to being surprised.>> Exactly. That sense of wonder is crucial.>> Yeah, and practically speaking, like how do we actually study this stuff?>> Well, we need to keep coming up with new research methods, right? Methods that are ethical and that really capture the complexity of animal minds.>> Yeah, because just showing them a bunch of cups and seeing if they point, that's not enough.>> No, we need to create experiments that let them show us what they're really capable of, you know?>> Yeah, like give them a chance to shine.>> Exactly. Give them a stage.>> Wow. This has been such a fascinating deep dive.>> It really has.>> It feels like we're on the verge of some major discoveries.>> I think so, too. There's so much momentum in this field right now.>> Well, before we wrap up, I'd like to leave our listeners with a final thought.>> Okay.>> If bonobos, our close relatives, have at least a basic theory of mind,>> Yeah.>> what does that tell us about intelligence in general? Does it blur the lines between human and animal minds?>> Yeah.>> And does it suggest that complex thought might be more widespread than we ever imagined?