Hugs May Be an Ancient Peacekeeping Tool, Ape Study Suggests

Jul 22, 2026 - 14:45
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Hugs May Be an Ancient Peacekeeping Tool, Ape Study Suggests
Examples of bonobo and chimpanzee reassurance behaviors. Image credit: Z. Clay / J.S. Brooker.

In a new study of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus), scientists found that embraces, touches and other reassuring gestures before competition for food were linked to more peaceful sharing, suggesting the roots of human social touch stretch back at least six million years.

The post Hugs May Be an Ancient Peacekeeping Tool, Ape Study Suggests appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

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