From hugs and handshakes to high fives and fist bumps, humans routinely use physical touch to comfort one another and reinforce social bonds. Now, new research suggests that our ape cousins behave in similar ways.
Semi-wild bonobos and chimpanzees hug, hold hands and pat each other during stressful situations. These friendly touches may help ease tension and potentially prevent conflicts from arising among group members, scientists report in a study published July 22 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
