Human's closest living relatives, Chimpanzees, primarily learn their communicative patterns from their mothers and maternal relatives, according to a new study.

Newsweek has reached out to the study's lead author for comment via email on Saturday.

Why It Matters

Humans and chimpanzees share an overwhelming majority of their DNA, a similarity that makes chimpanzees important for studying human biology, evolution, and behavior.

The study finds that key aspects of chimpanzees' communication are shaped by social learning and interactions rather than strictly genetics, emphasizing the power of maternal influence. Since humans also learn communication behaviors from those they interact with most, the study's findings suggest this trait may date back to the common ancestor of both species

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