Thompson presents lecture titled 'Lesser Apes? What can female chimpanzees tell us about human evolution'

Melissa Thompson, an associate professor and co-director of UNM’s Comparative Human and Primate Physiology Center, presents an Ancestors lecture titled, “Lesser Apes? What can female chimpanzees tell us about human evolution.”

The lecture will be presented on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m., in Hibben Lecture Hall, Room 105.

The great apes are a powerful reference for examining the evolutionary origins of human behavior. Comparisons with our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, have often focused on the behavior of males who engage in ostentatious displays, frequent aggression and sophisticated cooperative behavior.

Drawing extensively on the work by UNM faculty and students affiliated with the Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Thompson will explore the behavior of female chimpanzee across the lifespan, addressing how parallels and contrasts with humans can inform our understanding of the evolution of human behavior.

The lecture is free and open to all.