Chicago Council on Science and Technology » Life Science

The Mind of a Chimp

Tom — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:00:34 +0000

Imagine hanging out near a river while spending time fishing with a few of your close friends. You find a spot in the heart of nature—green leaves, birds chirping, and the relaxing sound of water flowing. As you snack on fruit, beta cells in your pancreas release insulin to lessen the rise in blood sugar levels. The day progresses slowly while you attempt to catch fish. A few feet down, a domino effect is initiated as someone yawns causing other friends to yawn and eventually you yawn as if a magic spell had been cast. Can you relate with this situation? Well, so can a chimpanzee.

Is it nap time yet?

Our closest relative in the evolutionary tree may look and act like an animal, but inside the skull exists a mind very similar to the human mind—the mind of a chimpanzee. ¹This is no surprise considering our DNA sequence is 96% similar. Dr Frans de Waal, a primate scientist at the University of Emory in Atlanta says:

“Darwin wasn’t just provocative in saying that we descend from the apes—he didn’t go far enough…we are apes in every way, from our long arms and tailless bodies to our habits and temperament.”

Much like us, chimps can go fishing (or should I say, ‘much like chimps, we go fishing’). Well, not in the traditional sense you’re thinking of, but the process is the same. Chimps use tools, much like humans use a fishing pole, to catch food out of their reach. Watch Dr Charlotte Uhlenbroek observe wild chimps “fishing” for termites in the video below (click the link):

CHIMPS GONE FISHING

Chimps may eat termites, but fruit makes up about 60% of their diet. Therefore they require blood sugar regulation, like you and me. Human and chimp versions of the insulin protein are identical, meaning insulin carries out the same vital role of blood sugar regulation in both species.¹Do you know someone living with diabetes? Chimps suffer from the same disease, along with arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

Our animal cousins also live within social networks–they maintain a “circle” of friends and family. Some relationships last for a short period of time, others endure for a lifetime. Chimps form bonds that encourage support and companionship, and they possess unique personalities that may cause them to like or dislike one another. In one experiment where they were separated for an extended period of time, upon reuniting, some chimps literally jumped into each other’s arms, embracing and kissing.²Sound familiar, like a family member picking you up at the airport?

Would you like to journey further into the mind of a chimpanzee and learn how humans are similar to chimps? On Wednesday, April 25, at Northwestern University in Chicago, two scientists from the Lincoln Park Zoo will explore topics such as communication, tool use, and cooperation, providing unprecedented insight into the thoughts and emotions of chimps. Please join the Chicago Council on Science & Technology as we welcome Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf and Dr. Steve Ross, editors of The Mind of the Chimpanzee: Ecological and Experimental Perspectives. If you are unable to attend, but are interested in sharing your thoughts about chimpanzees, please comment below about your favorite similarity between the human mind and the mind of a chimpanzee. Thank you!

Author: Tom. Follow him on Twitter @LETUBEU or his blog www.letyoubeyou.com

For sources, click on the highlighted links or:

1. Fairbanks, Daniel J. Relics of Eden: the powerful evidence of evolution in human DNA. New York: Promethus Books, 2010.

2. De Waal, Frans. The Age of Empathy: nature’s lessons for a kinder society. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2009.

Microscopic intruders! Is it time to panic?

Tom — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:03:16 +0000

Do you recall this past winter when you had a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing–classic symptoms of the common cold ?⁽¹⁾You can blame your friend for sneezing in your direction or the crowded El train, which transports infectious agents like O’Hare airport transports people. Ultimately, blame lands on a particle of mass with a diameter of .0000001 meters (m). Let me help you understand how tiny this intruder is:

A football field is 91.44 m in length

An average California orange is about 0.075 m around in diameter

Pull a hair out of your head, go ahead….now, examine it. That’s about 0.001 m in diameter

A virus, the infectious agent responsible for the common cold is about 0.0000001 meter in diameter.

So, what is a virus? A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms such as you and me, a cow, bacteria or plants. They are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and are the most abundant type of biological entity .⁽²⁾Virus particles consist of two or three parts: the genetic material made from either DNA or RNA, a protein coat that protects the DNA/RNA, and in some cases an envelope of lipids (fat) that surrounds the protein coat when they are outside a cell.⁽³⁾

You might be asking yourself, how does something so miniscule have such a large impact on my body? A virus will find its way into a human (via someone coughing, sneezing near you, etc.), identify its target cell in your body and enter the cell. Subsequently, the virus hijacks the cellular machinery used to replicate the organism’s DNA or RNA, and uses it to replicate its own DNA or RNA. A virus will then take over that cell, exhaust its resources while replicating, and move on to the next cell, over and over and over again until enough cells are depleted of resources. Eventually you fall victim to the common cold, or in other cases more deadly illnesses: influenza, polio, measles, mumps, or rubella. You can boost your immune system with a vaccine against these viruses or you can choose to go without.

This Saturday at 1:00PM at the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry come meet Seth Mnookin, author of The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear. His story is based on the medical debate: Does vaccinating for virus infections in children cause autism? One study after another failed to find any link between childhood vaccines and autism. Dr. Judith Palfrey from Harvard Medical School says, “Vaccines are the most effective public health measure since clean water.” Yet the theory that vaccines somehow cause developmental disorders lives on. Who do we believe?

We invite you to leave a comment or question below. Thank you.

Author: Tom. Follow him on Twitter @LETUBEU or his blog www.letyoubeyou.com

iPS Cells Replace Embryonic Stem Cells?

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:53:43 +0000

Two independent groups of scientists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Institute of Biological Sciences in Beijing have successfully used reprogrammed Induced Pluripotent stem cells to create a live mouse. Induced Pluripotent stem cells (iPS) be reprogrammed to become any cell in the body and demonstrate similar features to embryonic stem cells. An advantage of using iPS cells instead of embryonic stem cells is the avoidance of using a human embryo, which has been highly controversial with ethical, moral, and religious implications. Another advantage of iPS cells is the ease at which they can be created. Scientists can generate these cells in a simple biochemistry lab with little equipment and materials.

Although iPS cells show promise, there are still major issues to work out before they can be used as a therapeutic agent. Currently, if iPS cells are used for genetic alteration, they carry a risk of triggering oncogenes (cancer-causing genes). Recent research shows that there is a strong chance of removing this possibility in the near future.

What are your thoughts?