Schimpansen können wie Menschen lauthals und lautlos lachen

Wissen / 12.06.2015 • 14:02 Uhr
Chaos, a Chimpanzee, looks through the glass at visitors during his public debut in the Onstead Foundation Chimpanzee Habitat at the Houston Zoo Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, in Houston. Six chimpanzees were relocated to the zoo through the combined efforts of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Project ChimpCARE, the Houston Zoo, and Curtis and Bea Shepperson, the chimps’ owners. The Sheppersons had been under pressure from officials in the Mechanicsville, Virginia area to relocate the chimpanzees because of a recent escape and the lack of proper licenses. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Chaos, a Chimpanzee, looks through the glass at visitors during his public debut in the Onstead Foundation Chimpanzee Habitat at the Houston Zoo Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, in Houston. Six chimpanzees were relocated to the zoo through the combined efforts of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Project ChimpCARE, the Houston Zoo, and Curtis and Bea Shepperson, the chimps’ owners. The Sheppersons had been under pressure from officials in the Mechanicsville, Virginia area to relocate the chimpanzees because of a recent escape and the lack of proper licenses. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Schimpansen nutzen ihr Lachen ähnlich flexibel wie der Mensch. Beim Spielen mit anderen unter vollem Körpereinsatz krakeelen sie oft lachend herum, in anderen Situationen grimassieren sie lautlos grinsend. Auch die Muskeln im Gesicht bewegen sich wie die lachender Menschen, berichten Forscher der britischen Universität Portsmouth. Ob Schimpansen wie Menschen über Gesichtsausdrücke verfügen, die bewusst mit Lauten wie ein Lachen kombiniert werden können, ist bislang noch unklar.  Foto: AP