A recent study has revealed that humans may not be the only species with an understanding of geometry. Researchers compared preschool children, monkeys, and adults from cultures without formal geometry education, finding that all groups could comprehend shapes similarly. The study involved Tsimane’ people from Bolivia, Himba people from Namibia, U.S. preschoolers, and two monkey species—rhesus monkeys and olive baboons. Participants matched shapes and angles on screens, with monkeys receiving treats and children earning stickers. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, challenges the notion that humans uniquely process geometric concepts, suggesting that this ability might be shared with other primates. This discovery prompts a reevaluation of what truly distinguishes human cognition from that of other animals.
QUESTION: How might understanding that other animals share cognitive abilities with humans change our approach to education and conservation?
Monkeys might share our instincts for math
