Why Do Chimpanzees Have Superior Memory but Limited Language Skills?

  • Thread starter Thread starter symbolipoint
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
Chimpanzees exhibit limited language capabilities but possess remarkable memory skills, which is a significant topic of discussion. This ability is paralleled in sports stars like Sam Snead and Larry Bird, who demonstrate detailed recall, highlighting the importance of memory in athletic performance. The evolutionary aspect of memory in primates is also explored, noting that primates likely developed strong memory skills to locate ripe and unripe fruits, a necessity for survival. This adaptation is not unique to primates; many animals, including birds, rats, and honey bees, also exhibit impressive memory capabilities, suggesting that strong memory is a beneficial trait across various species. The discussion touches on the evolutionary timeline, indicating that these memory skills may have developed less than seven million years ago, coinciding with changes in foraging behaviors and environmental adaptations.
symbolipoint
Homework Helper
Education Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
7,560
Reaction score
2,002
This is interesting, about chimpanzees not having much language but extremely fast and excellent memory.
https://youtu.be/ktkjUjcZid0

( I used the 'plain' tags. I hope that worked. Assumed, visitors, readers, members know what to do. )
 
Physics news on Phys.org
symbolipoint said:
This is interesting, about chimpanzees not having much language but extremely fast and excellent memory.
https://youtu.be/ktkjUjcZid0

( I used the 'plain' tags. I hope that worked. Assumed, visitors, readers, members know what to do. )
Sports stars Sam Snead and Larry Bird remembered everything in detail. It's useful for sports.
 
symbolipoint said:
This is interesting, about chimpanzees not having much language but extremely fast and excellent memory.
https://youtu.be/ktkjUjcZid0

( I used the 'plain' tags. I hope that worked. Assumed, visitors, readers, members know what to do. )
I read somewhere (did I use that phrase? Sorry, I think it was The Blind Watchmaker) That primates have to remember where the ripe fruits are. Also the unripe so they can go back when they are ready.
When in our Evolution did this happen? Less than 7 million years ago?
Birds rats and squirrels are pretty good at remembering sequences too.
 
Lots of animals have good memories.
It is a generally useful adaptation.
Honey bees can learn colors and locations in single trials.
It would not have arisen in the human or primate lineage for some specific purpose.
 
BillTre said:
Lots of animals have good memories.
It is a generally useful adaptation.
Honey bees can learn colors and locations in single trials.
It would not have arisen in the human or primate lineage for some specific purpose.
I think line of reasoning was foraging was a fairly simple process for earlier mammals before Yucatan.
Selecting and learning what was going on with vegetation after that when they had more freedom played a part.
I will find the refs and try and put some meat on the bones.
 
Just ONCE, I wanted to see a post titled Status Update that was not a blatant, annoying spam post by a new member. So here it is. Today was a good day here in Northern Wisconsin. Fall colors are here, no mosquitos, no deer flies, and mild temperature, so my morning run was unusually nice. Only two meetings today, and both went well. The deer that was road killed just down the road two weeks ago is now fully decomposed, so no more smell. Somebody has a spike buck skull for their...
Thread 'RIP George F. Smoot III (1945-2025)'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Smoot https://physics.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/george-smoot-iii https://apc.u-paris.fr/fr/memory-george-fitzgerald-smoot-iii https://elements.lbl.gov/news/honoring-the-legacy-of-george-smoot/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2006/smoot/facts/ https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200611/nobel.cfm https://inspirehep.net/authors/988263 Structure in the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer First-Year Maps (Astrophysical Journal...
Back
Top