Overview

• A study published on May 9, 2025, in *Current Biology* analyzed 371 drumming bouts from 11 chimpanzee communities across eastern and western Africa.
• Chimpanzees drum on tree buttress roots with intentional rhythmic patterns, challenging the notion that rhythm is uniquely human.
• Western chimpanzees exhibit evenly spaced, faster beats, while eastern chimpanzees alternate between shorter and longer intervals, creating distinct rhythmic styles.
• Drumming serves as a long-distance communication tool, helping chimps signal their location and check in with group members across dense rainforests.
• The findings suggest that the cognitive and behavioral foundations of rhythm may date back to a common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees over six million years ago.