We don't just have sex to reproduce—new research suggests that using sex to manage social tension could be a trait that existed in the common ancestor of humans and apes six million years ago. Humans ...

In humans, sexual behavior has a bigger purpose than just reproduction. It plays a role in social functions, from strengthening bonds to resolving conflicts. A new study has extended sexuality's ...

When it comes to closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, chimpanzees and bonobos top the list. They share a common ancestor and over 98% of our DNA. Both species belong to the genus Pan.

Psychologists from Durham University, UK, have observed the behavior of 90 sanctuary-living apes to establish whether bonobos were more likely than chimpanzees to comfort others in distress. The study ...

One of their nicknames is pygmy chimp, and I had expected to see a smaller version of the chimpanzee, with the same swagger and strut in the males and timorous fealty in the females. Bonobos are ...

If you’ve heard the common phrase, “Bonobos make love, not war,” you might wonder about the context behind this statement. Essentially, bonobos use sexual activity as a form of conflict resolution.

Juvenile bonobo embraces a distressed companion during post-conflict consolation. Psychologists from Durham University, UK, observed the behaviour of 90 sanctuary-living apes to establish whether ...