Chimpanzees Are into Crystals(www.nytimes.com)
63 pointsby jimnotgym9 hours ago11 comments
  • JoelMcCracken2 hours ago
    Don’t get me wrong, this is very interesting, but there is something very funny about the idea that “give a chimpanzee stuff and see if they like it” is academic research.

    This could absolutely be a headline on The Onion.

    • omegared828 minutes ago
      Sure seems stupid on first glance but most science seems pointless. It’s only when several loosely interconnected ideas that prove something MIGHT be commercially viable do we find out that it was the first curious question that … again seems stupid… was the seed of inivation
      • buttermeup10 minutes ago
        What are some examples of questions that at first seemed stupid yet became brilliant when connected with other seemingly stupid ideas?
    • dmix2 hours ago
      > But he’s also very interested in “the impact of crystals on the history of art and the history of mind,”

      This made my eyes roll a bit.

    • Razengan2 hours ago
      "Breaking: Animals Have Preferences"
    • indoordin0saur2 hours ago
      [flagged]
      • panzaglan hour ago
        The study was in Spain- do European countries have the same sort of backlash to this stuff? Is there a province in Spain that has the equivalent to 'the senator from Indiana' that is the stereotypical anti-NSF figure in US politics? Genuinely curious about this.
      • that_lurkeran hour ago
        Have Americans tried giving them crystals
  • nivertechan hour ago
    unsurprising, since they're also into Monoliths

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHWs3c3YNs4

  • shagie3 hours ago
    Full article share link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/science/chimpanzees-cryst...
    • mikkupikku3 hours ago
      Share links need accounts anyway? Is this new?

      "You have free access to this story. Continue reading with a Times account"

  • chasil2 hours ago
    https://archive.ph/EHCxx
  • tantaloran hour ago
    I'd gladly trade you a banana tomorrow for a crystal today.
  • mrbluecoat2 hours ago
    They're also into bananas
    • Centigonal2 hours ago
      so are people! we overthrew multiple countries for banan
      • IAmBroom2 hours ago
        "Bananoi", please. They aren't Latin.
    • gtowey2 hours ago
      What's wrong with bananas?
      • tsimionescu2 hours ago
        They're a nightmare for atheists!

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfv-Qn1M58I

        • miningape24 minutes ago
          I thought this was going to be the amazing atheist banana clip, was pleasantly surprised to be reminded of this instead
        • MyHonestOpinonan hour ago
          This is clearly a parody. right? right? please say yes.
          • prophesian hour ago
            The intelligent design controversy during the mid 2000's were a fun time. I still have some Flying Spaghetti Monster merch.
      • SpaceL10n2 hours ago
        A sizable percentage of the human population is deathly allergic to bananas.
        • olivia-banks2 hours ago
          I'm mildly allergic to bananas, but I don't think the number of people allergic to bananas is "sizable."
        • throwway1203852 hours ago
          My son is not, and he will let you know how not allergic he is to Bananas if he sees any that he is not eating.
        • IAmBroom2 hours ago
          And this is relevant how?
    • JKCalhoun2 hours ago
      Me too.
  • talktalkmake2 hours ago
    You're talking ** Karl, PLAY A RECORD
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  • moi23882 hours ago
    What if you place a whole bunch of similar crystals in a pile, with only 1 or 2 smooth rocks?

    I’m willing to bet they will go after the smooth rocks and it’s about rarity, not crystals.

    • egypturnashan hour ago
      If you read the original paper (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10....) then they go into more detail on the piles of pebbles and what got taken; the graphs in figure 4 (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10....) make it very obvious that the chimps loved the crystals.

      (an "euhedral" crystal is one with lots of obvious facets, an "anhedral" one is one that's been rounded down into a more pebble shape.)

    • axusan hour ago
      You have a question, a hypothesis and designed an experiment to test it.

      The study had a harder question: "What properties of crystalline stones attracted them?". The abstract has this answer: "We found that transparency and geometric shape were the two attractors guiding chimpanzees."

      Maybe this is scientific proof for the diamond industry.

    • lich_king2 hours ago
      > I’m willing to bet they will go after the smooth rocks and it’s about rarity, not crystals.

      Why? Crystals are pretty, rocks are not. We clearly prefer shiny colorful things to dull beige things, even if shiny things are abundant.

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