Bananas may disappear as monkeys become addicted to cocaine

Bananas may soon disappear from grocery stores, as a new study reveals that monkeys are becoming addicted to cocaine and prefer the fruit less.

For the study, researchers at the University of Plymouth in the U.K. observed captive common marmosets, who were offered a choice between food pellets and bitten-into bananas. They found that while the monkeys generally preferred the banana, they were more likely to choose the food pellets when they were given access to cocaine.

"Our findings suggest that cocaine has stronger reinforcing properties than bananas," said researcher Gizelle Willows in a statement. "As a result, common marmosets may preferentially consume cocaine over bananas, which could lead to a decline in banana consumption."

This isn't the first time research has shown that animals can become addicted to drugs. Studies have shown that both rats and pigeons will work harder for drugs than for food, and some monkeys will even forego food in order to get their hands on drugs.

The implications of this latest study are concerning for those who rely on bananas for their livelihoods. While it's not clear yet what will happen if monkeys switch from eating bananas to snorting cocaine, it's possible that the demand for bananas could eventually dwindle, leading to higher prices and fewer jobs in the banana industry.

Monkey Humor: A Collection of Jokes, Anecdotes, and Cartoons

Humor is a vital component of our lives, and monkeys are some of the funniest animals on the planet. From their silly faces to their quirky behavior, these creatures never fail to make us laugh. In this article, you'll find a collection of monkey humor – everything from jokes and anecdotes to cartoons and comics. So put on your reading glasses and get ready for a good time!

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Q: What do you call a monkey with a machine gun?

A: Abdul al-Qaeda.

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Q: What's black and white and red all over?

A: A newspaper that has been printed by a monkey.

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Q: What do you call an evil monkey?

A: A baboon.

Rhesus macaques found to use stone tools in natural behaviour

A group of rhesus macaques have been observed using stone tools in their natural behaviour for the first time. The findings, published in Nature, suggest that the monkeys may have a basic understanding of how to use tools, and that this could be a precursor to more complex tool-use behaviours.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Oxford, who observed a group of rhesus macaques living in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The monkeys were observed using small stones to pry open shells and extract food items inside. This is the first time that stone tool use has been observed in rhesus macaques in their natural environment; although previous studies have shown that the monkeys are capable of using stones as tools in captivity, it was not known if they would do so in their natural environment.

The discovery suggests that the ability to use tools may be more widespread in the animal kingdom than previously thought, and that it may be an important precursor to more complex tool-use behaviours. It is possible that the monkeys are using tools out of necessity; prying open shells can be difficult without any tools, and there may not be any other suitable objects around to use as tools. However, the researchers suggest that it is also possible that the monkeys are beginning to understand how to use tools effectively, and that they may be able to learn more complicated tool-use behaviours in future.

Monkey see, monkey do: How imitation shapes learning

One of the most fundamental principles of learning is imitation. We see someone do something and we try to do it too. It's how we learn how to speak, how to walk, and how to do just about everything else.

Imitation is so important that babies are born with the ability to imitate facial expressions. By six months old, they can imitate simple hand gestures. And by nine months old, they can start imitating basic speech sounds.

So why is imitation so important for learning?

Imitation helps us learn because it allows us to see how other people do things. We can watch and learn from others without having to go through all the trial and error ourselves. This saves us time and energy, which allows us to learn more quickly.

Imitation also helps us learn social skills. When we imitate others, we learn how to interact with others in a way that is appropriate for our culture. We learn how to communicate effectively and build relationships with others.

Imitation also helps us learn new skills faster. When we see someone do something skillfully, we can mimic their movements and reproduce their results. This allows us to improve our own skills more quickly than if we were trying to figure everything out on our own.

So the next time you want to learn something new, try imitation! Watch someone else do it first, and then try doing it yourself. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can learn that way!

How we turned a monkey into a pianist

Laying on the operating table, University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Dr. Miguel Nicolelis monitored the electrical signals coming from the brain of a monkey that had been implanted with electrodes. The monkey was about to have a pioneering surgery to transform it into a pianist.

The goal of the experiment was to see if monkeys could learn to control a robotic arm using their thoughts alone. But there was a surprise in store for Nicolelis and his team.

While the monkey was learning how to operate the robotic arm, its brain was also spontaneously generating electrical signals that matched those found in human piano players.

This unexpected discovery potentially opens up new ways of harnessing the power of the human brain to control devices and prosthetic limbs. And it all started with a monkey getting trained to play the piano.

So how did they do it?

The surgery involved implanting electrodes into two parts of the monkey's brain that are associated with hand movement – the primary motor cortex and the supplementary motor area. These electrodes then sent electrical signals wirelessly to a computer which translated them into movements of a robotic arm.

To teach the monkey how to play the piano, researchers first had to figure out which notes it was capable of hitting. They did this by showing the monkey videos of people playing musical pieces, and then recording the electrical signals produced by its brain as it watched.

Once they had identified which notes the monkey could hit, they started training it to play specific songs by showing it those same videos over and over again. As it learned how to play each song, its brain produced corresponding electrical signals that were recorded by the electrodes.

The results of this experiment were published in 2013 in a paper called "A Brain-Machine Interface Enables Independent Piano Performance by Monkeys". In it, Nicolelis and his team describe how one monkey was able to successfully play two different tunes on a virtual piano using only its thoughts.

So what does this mean for the future of neuroscience?

Well, for one thing, it shows that we canLearning To Play The Piano transcription empower animals with disabilities like paralysis to regain some level of control over their lives. This is because many devices or prosthetic limbs that allow people with disabilities to interact with the world around them rely on neural activity from within the brain in order to function properly. If we can figure out how to decode that activity and translate it into commands for external devices, then we may be able to give people back some degree of mobility and independence.

In addition, this research could lead to new ways of helping people with conditions like autism or schizophrenia that affect cognitive function. By understanding how neural activity changes as someone learns new tasks or experiences new emotions, we may be able to develop better treatments for these disorders.