Chimpanzee Study Reveals Early Signs of Cumulative Culture

Research shows female chimpanzees drive innovation by spreading complex tool use across generations and communities.

A multidisciplinary study led by the University of Zurich provides evidence that chimpanzees exhibit early stages of cumulative culture, previously thought to be unique to humans.
Female chimpanzees play a critical role in spreading cultural innovations by migrating to new groups, carrying both genetic diversity and learned behaviors.
Researchers identified correlations between genetic links and the distribution of complex tool use, such as multistep methods for extracting termites or honey.
The study suggests that complex toolsets are rarely reinvented and are instead transmitted and refined across generations and populations.
This research challenges the assumption that cumulative culture is exclusive to humans, highlighting the importance of social connections in driving chimpanzee cultural development.