Scientists create world's first self-healing monkey skin

A team of scientists have created the world's first self-healing monkey skin, in a breakthrough which could lead to new treatments for human skin conditions.

The researchers, based at Northwestern University in the United States, developed a new way to induce self-healing in the skin of monkeys using a genetic tweak.

They found that by increasing the production of a protein called thrombin, they were able to make the skin cells more resilient and able to heal themselves.

The findings, which are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could pave the way for new treatments for human skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

"This is really exciting because it opens up a whole new area of research into how we can induce self-healing in human skin," said study author Dr Zheng Wang.

"We hope that this could eventually lead to new treatments for conditions like psoriasis and eczema, which can be very difficult to treat."

Monkeys can now pass the mirror test

Scientists have recently confirmed that monkeys can recognize themselves in mirrors, a test historically used to determine self-awareness in humans.

This new discovery not only sheds light on the cognitive abilities of our monkey brethren, but also offers intriguing insight into the evolution of human consciousness.

Experts have long believed that self-awareness is a prerequisite for higher order Thinking, such as abstract reasoning and morality.

The confirmation that monkeys share this trait with us suggests that the seeds of these complex abilities may have been present in our common ancestor, some 50 million years ago.

Monkeys show signs of empathy

The latest research on empathy in monkeys is fascinating, and it paints a very different picture of these animals than we typically see in the media. For one, it appears that they may be capable of feeling empathy for others in certain situations.

In one study, scientists observed capuchin monkeys reacting to someone who was having a seizure. The monkeys showed signs of concern and stress, and some even tried to help the individual by bringing them food or water. This suggests that they were aware of what was happening and felt sympathy for the other monkey.

Another study looked at how monkeys react to a victim of violence. In this case, the victim was an experimenter who had been deliberately hurt by another monkey. The researchers found that the monkeys who witnessed the attack were much more likely to show signs of stress than those who didn't see it happen. This indicates that they can empathize with others who are going through a difficult situation.

While it's still unclear exactly what role empathy plays in monkey behavior, these studies suggest that these animals are capable of feeling compassion and concern for others. This is a side of monkeys that we don't often see, but it's an important part of their complex social lives.

Monkeys learn how to use tools

A new study has found that monkeys not only learn how to use tools, but also how to pass this knowledge on to other monkeys.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Kyoto, found that Japanese macaque monkeys can learn how to use a rake to get food from a box. The study also found that the monkeys can pass this knowledge onto other monkeys.

"Our findings suggest that Japanese macaques have culture in the sensethat they can learn behaviours from each other," said researcher Dr. Takaaki Matsuki in a statement.

Dr. Matsuki and his team observed two groups of macaque monkeys – one group that was taught how to use a rake to get food from a box, and one group that wasn't taught how to use a rake. The team then observed the two groups of monkeys as they interacted with each other.

The team found that the group of monkeys that had been taught how to use a rake were more likely to teach other monkeys how to use a rake than the group of monkeys that hadn't been taught how to use a rake.

While the findings of this study suggest that macaque monkeys have culture, it is still unclear what exactly culture is.

"This is an important question for future research: What is thedifference between animals with and without culture? And what are therules governing social learning in animals?" said Dr. Matsuki in a statement.

New study sheds light on how monkeys evolved

A new study has shed light on how monkeys evolved, providing evidence that the split between Old World monkeys and apes happened far earlier than previously thought. The study, which was published in the journal Science, analyzed the genomes of 74 different monkey species and found that the split between Old World monkeys and apes occurred about 25 million years ago.

This finding challenges the currently accepted theory that the split occurred about 18 million years ago. It also suggests that apes and Old World monkeys evolved separately for a longer period of time than previously thought. "This changes a lot about what we know about monkey evolution," said study author Dr. Joanna Kelley of Duke University.

The study also found that the genetic differences between different monkey species are much greater than previously thought. This suggests that there is more variation within monkey species than between them, which could help to explain why it has been so difficult to classify different monkey species in the past.

Dr. Kelley said that the findings of this study could help to inform future research on ape and human evolution. "Our study provides a foundation for future genetic studies of ape and human evolution by identifying regions of the genome where selection may have acted more strongly in one group or the other," she said.