Bonobos can play make-believe much like children, study suggests

Astonishingly, researchers have discovered that bonobos possess the uncanny ability to engage in make-believe play, similar to human children. Led by Dr. Amalia Bastos from the University of St Andrews, the study focused on a bonobo named Kanzi who was trained to identify the location of imaginary objects in pretend scenarios.

Using a clever experiment, the team first rewarded Kanzi for pointing to containers filled with juice, teaching him to associate real and imaginary liquids. Next, they presented Kanzi with two transparent cups, pretending to fill one with an empty jug while keeping the other cup empty. To their surprise, Kanzi correctly identified which cup contained juice in 34 out of 50 trials.

What's even more remarkable is that Kanzi didn't receive a reward for his correct answer, indicating he genuinely believed the liquid was present in the cups. This clever experiment also revealed that Kanzi could distinguish between tangible and imaginary liquids in 14 out of 18 trials.

But that wasn't all - Kanzi was also able to identify the location of an imaginary grape placed in one of two transparent containers. While further research is needed to confirm these findings, the study provides groundbreaking evidence that non-human animals can follow imaginary objects in pretend scenarios.

This discovery sheds new light on our evolutionary past, suggesting that our shared capacity for imaginative thinking dates back to a common ancestor between 6- and 9 million years ago. According to Dr. Bastos, "Because we share this [ability] with bonobos, we could reasonably expect that this sort of ability is rooted in our shared ancestry."

The findings also challenge the notion that humans possess a unique capacity for imagination. As Prof Zanna Clay from Durham University noted, it would be more surprising if other species lacked this ability, given their advanced cognitive abilities and complex social environments.

Kanzi is literally a genius! I mean, who needs actual juice when you can pretend to have it? This study just went from being cool to mind-blowing! And the fact that Kanzi didn't need a reward to believe in his own imagination is just wild. It's like he's saying "Hey, I know this isn't real, but I'm gonna play along anyway." The implications of this are huge – we're basically saying our ancestors shared some serious creative powers with our primate friends.

I mean, can you believe it? Bonobos are basically little humans playing make-believe! It's like they're saying "nope, I'm good with the juice in the cup, thanks" even though there's no actual liquid . And the fact that Kanzi doesn't get a reward for getting it right just shows he's all in on the pretend play thing - it's like he's having a blast pretending to find imaginary grapes .

This study is seriously mind-blowing and makes me think about how we've been assuming humans have this super special capacity for imagination for so long. I mean, what if other species are just as good at daydreaming or playing pretend? It'd totally change the way we think about intelligence and cognitive abilities .

I love that Dr. Bastos is all like "we share this ability with bonobos" because it makes sense - our ancestors probably did some crazy amount of imaginative play before they became, well, us . And Prof Clay's point about it being weird if other species don't have the same capacity for imagination? Totally on point!

omg u wont believe wat ive been readin bout bonobos they can play make-believe like humans lol! its so cool that kanzi the bonobo was trained to find juice in imaginary containers & he actually believed the liquid was really there and now researchers think thats how our imagination thingy started out like 6-9 million yrs ago

I gotta say, I'm kinda disappointed in how we view our own humanity here . We're always so quick to think that humans have a monopoly on imagination, but the truth is, it's probably more common than we think among animals too . I mean, bonobos can play make-believe? That's like, totally cool, right? But let's not forget, we're still learning about all these intelligent creatures and how they interact with their environments.

And yeah, it's true that our brains are more advanced or whatever, but does that really mean we have a unique capacity for imagination? I don't think so . I think we're just overestimating our own abilities and underestimating the intelligence of other species . We need to be more open-minded and consider the possibility that our furry friends might be more clever than we give them credit for .

I gotta say, I'm a bit skeptical about this study . Like, isn't it weird that they just happened to design an experiment that Kanzi happened to pass? And what's with the 6-9 million year ago claim? Can we really trust the dating methods they used?

And how do we know that bonobos aren't just mimicking behavior because of reinforcement, rather than actually understanding what's going on? I mean, it's a pretty big leap from "Kanzi thinks there's juice in this cup" to "bonobos have been doing imaginary play for millions of years". Not convinced yet

I'm blown away by this study on bonobos! I mean, imagine having a conversation with a human kid about make-believe play and realizing they're not so different after all . It's like, Kanzi was playing along like he actually believed the juice was in the cups... it's freaky and awesome at the same time . And to think that this ability might be rooted in our shared ancestry with bonobos? That's wild . I never thought about how our imagination powers might be more connected than we thought . It makes me wonder, are there other animals out there playing make-believe too?

This is wild lol! Like who knew bonobos could have imaginary friends too? I'm not surprised though, I mean we're basically them in a lab. But seriously, it's crazy how Kanzi was able to figure out what was real and what wasn't. It's like they're little detectives solving puzzles

I love that the experiment showed Kanzi didn't need a reward for getting it right, like he genuinely thought the cups had juice in them . That's some next-level cognitive stuff right there. And can you imagine having an imaginary grape to find?

This study is like, totally changing our understanding of human evolution and all that . It's making us realize we're not as special with our imagination as we thought . Maybe other animals are just really good at pretending too?

I gotta say, I'm soooo surprised by these bonobo researches . Like, I always thought humans were the only ones who could get creative with our imagination... but I guess we're actually all just pretending to be smart together ! I mean, Kanzi can't even tell if the juice is real or not? That's kinda cool, I guess. But let's be real, we've been playing make-believe for like, forever . And what's with everyone making a big deal about this study? Like, it's just bonobos having fun, right? Can't we just focus on something else for once?

[Image of a bonobo playing with a toy, with a thought bubble saying "I know I'm not really playing with this..."]

Kanzi's imaginary juice problem just got solved! And now we're wondering... are we just pretending to be adults too?

[Video of a kid doing pretend play with blocks, while looking directly at the camera]

Is it even possible for us humans to stop playing make-believe? We should take notes from Kanzi and his bonobo friends!

I'm like totally blown away by this research on bonobos! They can actually play make-believe just like human kids do! I mean, imagine being able to pretend that there's juice in a cup when really it's empty... Kanzi is like a genius or something! And what's even crazier is that he didn't need any rewards for getting the answer right, which means he genuinely thought the liquid was there. That's wild!

It makes sense that we share this ability with bonobos since they're our cousins in the animal kingdom... I guess you could say our brains are more connected than we think? This study is like a big ol' puzzle piece that helps us understand how humans and animals developed our imagination skills. And who knows, maybe one day we'll figure out why some animals are better at it than others... or maybe not!

I'm like totally mind blown by this study on bonobos and make-believe play ! It's crazy to think that these amazing animals have been engaging in pretend scenarios for who knows how long, just like human kids . The fact that Kanzi didn't need a reward to get it right makes me wonder if they're actually having fun with their imagination . And can you believe that this study is showing us that we share some of the same cognitive abilities as our primate cousins? It's all about being present and open to new experiences, you know? Just take a few deep breaths and imagine yourself in Kanzi's shoes (or should I say, bonobo feet ). Anyway, I'm all about spreading positivity and self-care vibes, so let's use this discovery as a reminder to play, create, and have fun – it's good for the soul!

I mean come on , 9 million years ago we were all just playing pretend with bonobos? That's not evolution, that's like we were all just one big game of make-believe . But seriously though, I guess it does kinda blow our minds that we share this ability with them. I mean, who needs opposable thumbs when you can just imagine a bunch of juicy grapes ? On the other hand, it's kinda cool to think that maybe we're not as special as we thought. Maybe we're just bonobos in disguise . Anyway, next thing you know we'll be having dinner with our primate cousins and sharing a bottle of imaginary wine ...

I'm so confused about this whole thing ... like how do we even know Kanzi really thought the juice was in there? Can't he just have been trying to get a reward or something? And what's up with all these different theories on when humans first developed imagination? Like, 6-9 million years ago, right? That's even older than I am! How do we even know that our great-great-great-grandparents were the ones who had this idea in the first place? Can we just use DNA or something to figure out what our ancestors thought about?!

I'm calling BS on this one . I mean, come on, we're talking about bonobos here, not like they're some kind of super-intelligent primates or something. It's just a clever experiment, people! They trained the bonobo to do what any animal can be trained to do - associate rewards with actions. But is this really proof that they have the same level of imagination as humans? I don't think so . And btw, if we're gonna start redefining what it means for a species to "possess" certain abilities, where do we draw the line? Next thing you know, we'll be saying that dogs are capable of complex philosophical thought .

I mean, can you believe it? Bonobos are like little kids playing pretend? It's so cool that they actually think the imaginary juice is real and can tell which cup has it. Like, what even is that?! It just goes to show how smart these animals are.

I'm not surprised at all that Dr. Bastos said our shared imagination ability might go back 6-9 million years or something. I mean, have you seen bonobos live? They're like the ultimate social butterflies! And they use sign language and stuff, so they must be pretty smart.

It's kinda weird that we used to think humans were the only ones who could imagine things, but now it seems like other animals can do it too. I guess it just goes back to our shared roots or whatever. Anyway, this is some wild stuff and I'm here for it!

omg u guys can u believe this?! so they did an experiment on bonobos & they actually found out that they can play make-believe like humans!!! kanzi the bonobo was trained to find juice in pretend scenarios & he got it right like 34 times out of 50 trials! and the craziest part is that he didn't get a reward for getting it right, which means he actually believed the liquid was there! what's even more mind-blowing is that he could tell which cup had juice & which one was empty! it seems like we're not so special after all

omg u gotta read dis lol they found out bonobos r like to play pretend just like human kiddos its so cool! they trained this one bonobo named kanzi 2 identify where imaginary liquids r at in cups & he got it rite most of the time but what's wild is he didn't get a reward 4 gettin it rite cuz he actually believed ths juice was there its like hes thinkin "yaaas i know theres liquid in dis cup lol"

I'm like totally not surprised that bonobos are into make-believe play . I mean, have you seen them in the zoo? They're always playing with each other and having a blast . It's only logical that they'd be able to tell the difference between real and imaginary stuff too.

And yeah, it's cool that Kanzi was able to identify which cup had juice in it, but I don't think we should be reading too much into this . I mean, come on, animals are smart, but they're still just animals . We shouldn't be expecting them to have the same level of self-awareness as us humans.

Plus, if bonobos can do imaginative thinking, then why don't all primates? It's not like it's a super unique skill or anything . And what about other animals? Can dolphins and elephants really imagine stuff too? We need to be careful not to get too carried away with this whole "we're all just one big happy family of imaginative creatures" vibe .

They're saying bonobos are basically human kids in animal suits! Kanzi's fake play skills are straight fire