Chimpanzees and bonobos use hugs, kisses, and gentle touch to strengthen trust before stressful situations, offering new insight into the evolutionary origins of human social bonding. Scientists observed the animals at sanctuaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, designing experiments around the arrival of peanuts to study behavior in anticipation of potential conflict. They recorded behaviors such as embracing, touching, and even placing fingers in one another’s mouths among the apes in the five minutes before food was distributed to the groups. The study revealed that ape groups that displayed more reassuring contact were more likely to share food peacefully and avoid conflict. Scientists believe these behaviors, described as a way of reinforcing group unity, may date back at least seven million years to a common ancestor shared with humans. The findings suggest that modern human gestures of encouragement may have deep evolutionary roots.
BBC