Name: Evolution's gift of play, from bonobo apes to humans
Uploaded: 2011-03-21T19:00:00Z
Duration: 6 min 44 s
Description: With never-before-seen video, primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo (a TED Fellow) shows how bonobo ape society learns from constantly playing -- solo, with friends, even as a prelude to sex. Indeed, play appears to be the bonobos' key to problem-solving and avoiding conflict. If it works for our close cousins, why not for us?

With never-before-seen video, primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo (a TED Fellow) shows how bonobo ape society learns from constantly playing -- solo, with friends, even as a prelude to sex. Indeed, play appears to be the bonobos' key to problem-solving and avoiding conflict. If it works for our close cousins, why not for us?

Isabel Behncke: Evolution's gift of play, from bonobo apes to humans

Evolution's gift of play, from bonobo apes to humans

Bonobos live in a matriarchal society where females lead, showcasing a tolerant community without observed fatal violence.

In bonobo society, sex functions as a social tool for managing conflict and building relationships, far beyond mere reproduction.

Play, integral for bonding and creativity in bonobos, mirrors human behavior, underscoring play's evolutionary importance for adaptation.