Tonight, Friday 01/03/03 there is a program on the Discovery channel that looks interesting. It's called, "Keeli and Ivy, Chimps Like Us". with the description "young chimpanzees learn to read and write using simplified forms of phonetic English" from 8:00 to 9:00 PM, US Eastern time. It comes on again at 11:00 to 12:00 that night, and then 11:00 to 12:00 AM on 01/04/03. I thought you guys might like this. This should be fascinating. Imagine the possibilities if chimps could read and write. weird!

Planet of the Chimps!

:eek:

also in a recent new scientist:

a chimp can talk (it was only 4 words though) and tought itself to talk. The researchers later discovered that its vocalizations were not random at all...

so what did they say? We don't have discovery channel overhere and I'm verry curious as to what they had to say in their fiftheen minutes of fame :)

Other then "oe-oe" and "ah-ah":rolleyes:

Ya Fukushi is right "oe-oe" , "Ah-ah" are two words... also there is "Eeeeeeeeh" and "aaaaaaaah" :D

I can read...so I guess I am living proof!:D

http://www.planetoftheapesonline.com/tn5/apesnewspaper.jpg

Originally posted by spuriousmonkey
also in a recent new scientist:

a chimp can talk (it was only 4 words though) and tought itself to talk. The researchers later discovered that its vocalizations were not random at all...

Yes - their anatomy doesn't lend itself to complex speech. They can however communicate quite effectively using sign language.

Cheers,

Ron.

I wonder if we could install any tech in a chimp's larynx/vocal chords to allow it to talk. I would think it would make it easier to see how intelligent chimps really are when they start to be able to use proper grammar and organized sentences. I had a dream last night that all lab animals had these devices, and I was listening to a researcher having a conversation with a small animal, like a chipmunk or a fish or something.

Originally posted by platzapS
I wonder if we could install any tech in a chimp's larynx/vocal chords to allow it to talk. I would think it would make it easier to see how intelligent chimps really are. It's pretty easy to see how intelligent they are by letting them use ASL. It will be a lot easier to teach the researchers sign language than to design and install electronics in the poor apes' necks. Especially easier for the chimps, who, after all, are doing all the work!

I have been wondering why chimps, gorrilas, or orangetangs aren't bred to increase their intelligence. I think that it could prove far more interesting than searching for space aliens. Super inteligent chimps with an education. Maybe dolphins would be a better choice.

Originally posted by MShark
I have been wondering why chimps, gorrilas, or orangetangs aren't bred to increase their intelligence. I think that it could prove far more interesting than searching for space aliens. Super inteligent chimps with an education. Maybe dolphins would be a better choice.

'Chimps, gorillas or orangutans'. Now we know why!

Ron.

If we bread other apes for intelligence we would have a whole new civil right's issue on our hands. Not to say we shouldnt do it. I think we should. I classify Koko the gorrilla as a sapient allready and that shows apes at least have the potential.

Can we also do it with squid?

Originally posted by Clockwood
If we bread other apes for intelligence we would have a whole new civil right's issue on our hands. Not to say we shouldnt do it. I think we should. I classify Koko the gorrilla as a sapient allready and that shows apes at least have the potential.

Can we also do it with squid?

'bread'? Perhaps 'bred'?

'right's'? Perhaps 'rights'?

'gorrilla'? Perhaps 'gorilla'?

'shouldnt'? Perhaps 'shouldn't'?

'allready'? Perhaps 'already'?

Not trying to be picky - well, O.K, I am - but we are talking about educating other mammals.

Ron.