Chimps, Too, Wage War and Annex Rival Territory

The New York Times, June 21, 2010

Every day, John Mitani or a colleague is up at sunrise to check on the action among the chimpanzees at Ngogo, in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. Most days the male chimps behave a lot like frat boys, making a lot of noise or beating each other up. But once every 10 to 14 days, they do something more adult and cooperative: they wage war. Read more...

Whales and humans linked by 'helpful grandmothers'

BBC News, July 2, 2010

Scientists have discovered an evolutionary reason why humans and whales both have grandmothers. As post-menopausal females age, the researchers say, they become increasingly interested and helpful in rearing their "grandchildren".This could help explain why female great apes and toothed whales (cetaceans) have lifespans that extend long beyond their reproductive years.They report the findings in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B. Read more...