How Monkeys Are Like Our Brains

Monkeys are naughty and cute but they’re also very smart. They are able to learn from their mistakes and can even carry a grudge against a person or an object that hurt them. This is very human-like and one of the reasons why monkeys make great subjects for research on how we can understand more about our own brains.

Monkeys use their prehensile tails to hold onto branches as they swing through trees and leap from tree to tree (brachiation). Their tails help them maintain balance, especially when moving through tall grasses or climbing over rocky ledges. Monkeys often show affection by grooming each other—picking bugs, dirt, and debris from their companions’ fur is a way for them to bond with one another. This grooming helps strengthen troop bonds and it’s also a way to avoid parasites or illnesses that could be carried by other animals or humans.

Like people, monkeys have a wide variety of body language cues to communicate with each other and to alert the group of potential dangers or new food sources. For example, a monkey baring its teeth may look like a smile to us but it actually indicates aggression or fear, Live Science reports.

Most monkeys are social creatures that typically live together, called a troop. The troop structure varies by species. Some, such as capuchins, spontaneously use objects as tools; for example, they might smash open nuts with rocks or crack them with their hands. Other monkeys, such as baboons, are more likely to follow the lead of an adult male.