The Insane Biology of: The Gorilla

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  • Опубліковано 27 лют 2023
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    Patreon: / realscience
    Instagram: / stephaniesammann
    Credits:
    Narrator/Writer: Stephanie Sammann
    Writer: Ashleen Knutsen
    Editor: Dylan Hennessy (www.behance.net/dylanhennessy1)
    Editor: Leany Muñoz
    Illustrator: Jacek Ambrożewski
    Illustrator/Animator: Kirtan Patel (kpatart.com/illustrations)
    Animator: Mike Ridolfi (www.moboxgraphics.com/)
    Sound: Graham Haerther (haerther.net)
    Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster ( / forgottentowel )
    Producer: Brian McManus ( / realengineering )
    Imagery courtesy of Getty Images
    [1] www.koko.org
    [2] gorillafund.org/uncategorized...
    [3] www.strengthlog.com/deadlift-...
    [4] archive.org/details/in.ernet....
    [5] anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wil...
    [6] journals.physiology.org/doi/f...
    [7] gorillafund.org/uncategorized...
    [8] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2843616/
    [9] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
    [10] open.lib.umn.edu/vetphysioapp...
    [11] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23754...
    [12] journals.plos.org/plosbiology...
    [13] www.eva.mpg.de/fileadmin/cont...
    [14] gorillafund.org/uncategorized...
    [15] www.gorillagestures.info/index...
    [16] www.koko.org/about/programs/p...
    [17] www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/1...
    [18] www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/...
  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,6 тис.

  • @onesmileybaldy8303
    @onesmileybaldy8303 Рік тому +1311

    I get so sad when I see Koko sad about her kitten’s death,being a reflex for a reward or not,it doesn’t remove the fact that it really feels like she was grieving

    • @idcidk69420
      @idcidk69420 Рік тому

      Koko probably has a higher IQ and emotional intelligence than most africans.

    • @noahjanosko8985
      @noahjanosko8985 Рік тому +29

      That’s a good point to prove the haters wrong too 🦍🦍

    • @pyropulseIXXI
      @pyropulseIXXI Рік тому +31

      Koko was a fraud.... or rather her communicator/trainer person was a fraud. Cannot believe people actually think a gorilla can sign language and actually know what it is saying, just like "Koko's last message" is exactly the same message the person believes in and wants to spread.
      Koko was a vehicle to spread the person's message

    • @swites
      @swites Рік тому +55

      All mammals have the same brain emotional pathways due to evolution. Anger, aggression sadness, joy, happiness. Even guilt or feeling bad after doing something wrong . Many animals have displays/behaviours/ rituals for their dead. Why dogs pine for their dead owners etc.

    • @AnOceanOnFire
      @AnOceanOnFire Рік тому +103

      ​@@pyropulseIXXI Is it really that hard to believe that an intelligent animal would be able to communicate with a human to a certain degree?
      Humans aren't the only intelligent things to ever exist, and I think this pedestal of intelligence we all sit on clouds our judgement.
      The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
      As a kid she probably only did it for the food, and had no understanding of anything, but later in life I do believe she did understanding what she was doing, atleast to a limited capacity.

  • @jamesryan3572
    @jamesryan3572 Рік тому +732

    You cite Hafthor Bjornsson's 501kg deadlift, and his bodyweight as 150kg. His bodyweight at the time of the deadlift was 205kg, meaning his BW ratio was less than 2.5x, not 3.3x. Making the gorillas 4.5x much more impressive.

    • @eshankpanchal4121
      @eshankpanchal4121 Рік тому +40

      good to find someone who spotted that error in the video

    • @wallywall9498
      @wallywall9498 Рік тому +120

      Pound for pound, humans can be extremely impressive too. Tyler Atwood deadlifted 340.5kg at 74kg bodyweight, making that a 4.6x.

    • @softan
      @softan Рік тому +38

      Sure but there are much smaller people with better ratios even tho their absolute strength is lower. Smaller people are generally stronger pound for pound after all.

    • @cacoethes1366
      @cacoethes1366 Рік тому +55

      The video was full of dubious info. Quite disappointing given the name of the channel. Glossing over the widely reported fraud that was Koko was pretty unforgivable. Also, they;ve never gotten a gorila to do a deadlift, it’s just an estimate based on nothing substantial to the point that it’s practically meaningless. Sticking on a graph next to humans like it’s actual data is such bad science for the sake of clicks that I just can’t trust anything else they have to say.

    • @herrigancalvera453
      @herrigancalvera453 Рік тому +10

      not only weight but also steroids and training

  • @steven95N
    @steven95N Рік тому +246

    Gorillas are so intelligent. I had to rewire part of the network at our local zoo a few years back. Will terminating the line into the gorilla exhibit, The Silverback decided to walk over to the barrier and just chilled and watched what I was doing. I knew not to look in his eyes to keep him comfy but I couldn't help but notice how interested he was in what I was doing. He even grabbed a stick and made motions similar to me and my line terminating tool. It was incredible. Maybe I'm thinking too much into what he was doing with the stick but he picked up a stack of grass and tapped the stick to it, as if mirroring what I'd just done with the wire.

    • @mnxs
      @mnxs Рік тому +21

      Fascinating. I can't help but wonder, as I'm sure you have, what he was really up to. I mean, was it a form of play? Was he trying to learn from what you were doing? Mimicking for purposes of social ingratiation? So many possibilities.

    • @jeweltorkelson
      @jeweltorkelson Рік тому +7

      That is a neat experience

    • @OutrageIsNow
      @OutrageIsNow 10 місяців тому +28

      You were the catalyst that led to the first futuristic great ape nuke. Thanks a lot

    • @ExpandDong420
      @ExpandDong420 9 місяців тому

      ​@@mnxsmonkey see, monkey do.

    • @shawnsouth327
      @shawnsouth327 Місяць тому +5

      If planet of the apes happens it’s your fault STEVEN 😂

  • @MegaGreatdanelover
    @MegaGreatdanelover Рік тому +406

    I feel like animals shouldn’t have to be seen as intelligent or empathetic in order for us to want to save them or protect them. Most every animal is vital to the ecosystem in some way or another, like bees and fish for example. I love these videos for how informative they are on all aspects of their situation.

    • @driss3946
      @driss3946 Рік тому +1

      Found the ecologist.

    • @vmx803
      @vmx803 Рік тому +30

      Facts. Really odd to me that we try to personify animals and their actions. When an animal does something that we would consider immoral we have a tendency to try and explain the behavior. But really animals are animals and morality has no place in nature unless it confers an advantage in survival or reproduction.

    • @mnxs
      @mnxs Рік тому +11

      ​@@vmx803 This is, of course, all true. I think why we still do it is because humans are very emotional and social beings, that highly value whenever something (at least) appears to behave human-like. And while we pride ourselves on our intelligence, we are (usually) way worse at hard logic than we'd like to pretend.

    • @rustykrieger7181
      @rustykrieger7181 Рік тому +1

      We should just base it all on a scale of deliciousness and leave intelligence out of it.

    • @markcynic808
      @markcynic808 Рік тому

      Nah. Hardly any animal is vital to any ecosystem. Most countries in the world have lost their larger animal species and ecosystems to human environments without any concerns.

  • @flibbernodgets7018
    @flibbernodgets7018 Рік тому +2691

    I think people have used Koko for their own ends and put words in her hands, so to speak, but I have seen good evidence for her intelligence. The best of these came from an anecdote about a photo where she was told to smile for the camera. She's making the "smile" sign with her hands but pouting exaggeratedly with her lips, indicating she knew what was being asked of her but wanted to be a smart-aleck about it.

    • @brunobastos5533
      @brunobastos5533 Рік тому +110

      there are ways to check if that is true or not , Koko show abstraction and is use of sign language was consistent even teach is son that unfortunately died young

    • @smolcutie1773
      @smolcutie1773 Рік тому +333

      Another sign of intelligence that impressed the scientists was when she referred to a bracelet as a "wrist ring" because she hadn't been taught the word bracelet so she combined the words wrist and ring.

    • @segfault-
      @segfault- Рік тому +78

      IIRC they made a video for some sort of climate initiative with Koko and pretended she understood climate change etc and had a "message" for the people. She was highly sensationalized and her intelligence overblown. Pretty cool nonetheless.

    • @brunobastos5533
      @brunobastos5533 Рік тому +1

      @@segfault- is that kind of maneuvers that make people doubt , but big apes are able to abstraction at some level . humans (and iam not saying we are the best) really stand apart in communication even non verbal , we are the only ones with white eye balls , and the most friendly gesture the smile is perceived as aggression to all mammals including other big apes

    • @NickDBaker
      @NickDBaker Рік тому +63

      Also when she lied and said her cat was the one who ripped the sink off the wall in her enclosure 🤪

  • @jacob_90s
    @jacob_90s Рік тому +1330

    Quick note on Koko; like many I had heard about her for years, and she always seemed to be the exception whenever people would talk about communication with animal. But then about 10 years ago I came across a transcription of one of her exchanges. There was quite a bit of, shall we say, "interpretation" on her handlers part.
    Don't get me wrong, it was and is still an incredibly impressive feat and important step in inter special communication, but like many things in life, it was rather over hyped, and people seemed to see it more for what it could be, rather than what it actually was.

    • @sirBrouwer
      @sirBrouwer Рік тому +91

      A other factor might be that in her case and probably other gorillas that want to interact with humans. They themselves will likely also try to interpret what we are trying to convay to them.
      No doubt that they do understand that we are trying to do so.
      We might be studying them but those that are studied might also study back.

    • @Annathroy
      @Annathroy Рік тому +118

      There is a very well made video on said topic here on UA-cam, search up :
      Why Koko (probably) couldn't talk (sorry)

    • @dangerfly
      @dangerfly Рік тому +77

      This Real Science video presents the handler's interpretation FIRST which creates ANCHORING BIAS. This is a common technique to create interest at the expense of science.

    • @carlos66965
      @carlos66965 Рік тому +6

      @@sirBrouwer That's actually a very good point. Wish they could write about us. Oh the things they could say.

    • @carlos66965
      @carlos66965 Рік тому +10

      Not saying you're wrong, but it's also fair i think to take into account that you only saw one transcript. But yes, i can see how it was probably somewhat inflated and mythologized.

  • @SMG2fanatic
    @SMG2fanatic Рік тому +60

    I laughed my ass off when that gorilla fell off the log. Love how the narrator doesn’t skip a beat 😂

  • @terramater
    @terramater Рік тому +144

    Great apes are so fascinating, and it's so sad to see how many species are endangered, and we aren't making their lives easy. Our team got on camera the work of an orangutan organisation that aims to reintegrate orangutans kept in captivity. In the clips, you are able to see that the rehabilitation work takes years before these great apes are ready to go back to the wild. The images of the orangutan being released bring up so many emotions. We need to learn more about this amazing creatures and fight to protect them.

    • @kirani111
      @kirani111 Рік тому

      Love your channel Terra Mater!

    • @markcynic808
      @markcynic808 Рік тому

      Waste of time as there's an ever shrinking amount of " wild " for them to inhabit.

    • @KPH1992
      @KPH1992 2 місяці тому

      You should check this video about gorilla facts out: ua-cam.com/video/aqw8elOwPUk/v-deo.html

  • @NaturalBloom7
    @NaturalBloom7 Рік тому +529

    It’s just funny to me how herbivores like the absolute units Hippopotamus and Gorilla have insane bite forces!

    • @BeyondEcstasy
      @BeyondEcstasy Рік тому +53

      They have to fight against other hippos and gorillas.

    • @flibbernodgets7018
      @flibbernodgets7018 Рік тому +158

      it's easier to bite into meat than bamboo

    • @esbeng.s.a9761
      @esbeng.s.a9761 Рік тому +32

      non of them eat bambo, but pandas have a bite force on pair with lions (didn't know gorilla eats bambo

    • @NaturalBloom7
      @NaturalBloom7 Рік тому +8

      @@flibbernodgets7018 Thank you, now everything makes sense🗿

    • @flibbernodgets7018
      @flibbernodgets7018 Рік тому +22

      @@esbeng.s.a9761 bamboo was mentioned several times in the video, but on going over it again I didn't find any direct statement saying they do eat it, so I misunderstood that. Point still stands, herbivores that eat tough plants need to bite good.

  • @fatbro6948
    @fatbro6948 Рік тому +428

    Thank you for making it easier to learn biology and I hope this channel keeps growing

    • @gamm8939
      @gamm8939 Рік тому +2

      Yeah thanks for publishing lias.

    • @alansoto7873
      @alansoto7873 Рік тому +3

      I know, ive been interested in biology a couple of years but couldnt studybin a formal way, this channel helps a lot

    • @MrMarinus18
      @MrMarinus18 Рік тому +7

      A big thing they somewhat overlooked is that gorillas, like all animals have a 50-50 gender ratio so you have a lot of non-dominant males too. Many groups over 7 females have a subordinate male called a blackback who is sort of an assistant to the dominant male. He is forbidden from mating and has to display submission but as long as he does so is accepted and also cared for. Blackbacks often help the silverback with caring for the young and often retain a lot more juvenile traits into adulthood. They kind of are the loser uncle who babysits from time to time.
      However most non-dominant males leave the group when they become adults. Some live on their own but they usually have friends and are part of bachelor groups. These bachelor groups have much weaker social bonds than troops but they have been shown defending each other and helping each other nonetheless. Homosexual activity between bachelor members is known as well. Most bachelor groups are 2-3 though they often mix and reform constantly. They are not really a closely knit family like the troops but more so a friend group.

    • @KPH1992
      @KPH1992 2 місяці тому

      Check this video about gorilla facts: ua-cam.com/video/aqw8elOwPUk/v-deo.html

  • @wanderdhollander7374
    @wanderdhollander7374 Рік тому +51

    As a biochemist, I laughed very hard with seeing 'very complicated', when going from fatty acids to protein

    • @raulzavala4546
      @raulzavala4546 11 місяців тому

      Is it?

    • @tematrixmayhem
      @tematrixmayhem 11 місяців тому +3

      Not a biochemist, I laughed very hard at 10:03

    • @robertmeadowfield4346
      @robertmeadowfield4346 10 місяців тому +3

      yeah me too, you can make amino acids from carbohydrates from which you take the carbon skeleton and then put amino groups on it, but you can't make amino acids from fatty acids

  • @mvw9078
    @mvw9078 Рік тому +34

    There is no doubt of Koko's intelligence, but I think you're right in saying it may be best for us to try and learn the language of her species, rather than try and get them to learns ours. It is assuredly more difficult, but would certainly lead to a better understanding of what they may be trying to communicate with us.
    The world is such a beautiful place populated by fascinating, and strikingly intelligent animals. To think we may be able to communicate with them one day in some meaningful way is such a lovely prospect.

    • @LIVEFRMNYC
      @LIVEFRMNYC Рік тому

      In theory, a gorilla should be the easy to communicate with, because they have similar senses as us. Most other animals have such superior senses compared to us, it's like they are living in a completely differ world. We can't see, hear, smell, or feel what many other animals can.

    • @tomlxyz
      @tomlxyz Рік тому +1

      ​@@LIVEFRMNYC I don't think the senses part is that important now that we have the technology to sense those for us.

  • @maltheopia
    @maltheopia Рік тому +84

    I love gorillas. They have such a sophisticated, refined natural expression on their faces. Gorgeous lifeforms.

    • @KPH1992
      @KPH1992 2 місяці тому

      I made a gorilla facts video: ua-cam.com/video/aqw8elOwPUk/v-deo.html

  • @mcnulty2794
    @mcnulty2794 Рік тому +448

    Koko wanting a cat is the most relatable thing. Has all her basic needs met, doesn't need a man, just a kitten 😂

    • @ShaftCommander
      @ShaftCommander Рік тому +37

      There’s a long weekend’s worth of shit to unpack there.

    • @ZaphodOddly
      @ZaphodOddly Рік тому +3

      @mcnulty2794 Not super bitter are you?

    • @jow3871
      @jow3871 Рік тому +14

      They also theorized that since she was the only female this made he insecure in a sense. Gorilla's unlike humans are accustomed to unit's of multiple females to one male. So have a male as a single female who has never had a male would be an unappealing task. It'd be like if a single woman had every suiter with 10 kids, and ex in-laws

    • @terrafirma5327
      @terrafirma5327 Рік тому +5

      @@ZaphodOddly Insecure about when women don't "need" a man, are you?

    • @terrafirma5327
      @terrafirma5327 Рік тому +1

      @@jow3871 Great perspective, didn't think about that.

  • @differentfins
    @differentfins Рік тому +103

    Great video! I love how you acknowledged that human deadlift record is 501 kg which is impressive and Hafthor weighed about the same as a mature male silver back but yes we are built different. I also laughed out loud when that gorilla slipped and fell off the log at the 10:03 mark.

    • @kuntamdc
      @kuntamdc Рік тому +4

      I rewatched that like 5 times hahaha

    • @Thomas998822
      @Thomas998822 Рік тому +5

      Yeah and Hafthor took steroids and thousands of hours of weight training, so its no where near a fair comparison

    • @SakuraWulf
      @SakuraWulf Рік тому

      Even gorillas have strokes.

    • @filippetrula1234
      @filippetrula1234 7 місяців тому

      I just wonder what 80kg man struggle with 80kg deadlift 🤷 benchpress if you are not working out sure but deadlift?

    • @differentfins
      @differentfins 7 місяців тому

      @filippetrula1234 good point. Even the average (healthy young) man should be able to deadlift 1.5x their body weight even without training.

  • @kevinratay8285
    @kevinratay8285 Рік тому +23

    I wish I had videos like these in school. They're a million times more attentive than a textbook or a teacher that either talked too fast to understand or too slow to stay awake.. They would've stimulated my brain to want more as they do today at 40 years old. Even more importantly, I wouldn't have to be embarrassed to raise my hand for help. I'm able to hit rewind as many times needed to comprehend. Really awesome work! Thanks

    • @chinainformation
      @chinainformation 18 днів тому

      I learned thousands of things by watching videos. This internet age is so crazy. I learned a new language by using websites, got lots of important certificates online, met with lots of teachers who really listened to me, and answered my questions. This internet age is crazy. 20 years ago, we were carrying dictionaries in our schoolbags to look up the words to translate something from English to Turkish. Now, with my phone on me, I need nothing. Someone to accompany me on my ride: done. Someone to have fun with tonight: not a problem. Plane ticket to Asia: purchased. Learn Latin and read ancient texts course: enrolled. Write a book for me: ai can do it for you. Create a million dollar business: why not.... with my phone on me, I need nothing. This age is crazy.

  • @OhOkayThenLazySusan
    @OhOkayThenLazySusan Рік тому +159

    I was disappointed that it was not acknowledged in the introduction that many believe Koko's level of ability to communicate was overblown. I didn't know we were even going to come back to the topic. I still kind of am, because if someone watches that introduction and doesn't watch the whole video, they're basically receiving misinformation.
    But, the author does acknowledge this in the last portion of the video and is, I believe, spot-on with their conclusive thought. It's not that nothing was revealed during that research. But the interpreters were definitely drawing a lot of conclusions based on what they wanted or expected. The truth is definitely somewhere in between. And I love the idea that it would be helpful to also learn their 'language' along the way.
    Great video as always with this channel.

    • @Misclaneous
      @Misclaneous Рік тому +13

      Can we not trust people to watch the whole video? I think it's perfectly reasonable to explain things as she has done here.
      If you're going to spend your life thinking you've learned things from introductions, expect to be misinformed.

    • @MrCartoonlife
      @MrCartoonlife Рік тому +10

      If you watched just part of the video and formed your opinion. Or you do this with anything. Then the presenter isn’t giving misinformation someone isn’t listening

    • @MrCartoonlife
      @MrCartoonlife Рік тому +2

      And in a way yeh they’re receiving the wrong information but it’s their own fault for not listening to the whole thing

    • @cimi93x
      @cimi93x Рік тому

      It wasn't overblown it was straight up fabricated for publicity.

    • @TrabberShir
      @TrabberShir Рік тому +4

      @@MrCartoonlife User error is myth as much in communication as it is in software. The user getting no information is equivalent to not having been exposed to the material and thus an acceptable outcome from disinterest. False information leaves the user worse off for engaging with the content and deciding they are not interested than they would have been by not engaging at all.
      Avoiding that trap is a major focus of traditional rules for journalistic writings. As an educational creator, it is something that this creator should be aware of and trying to avoid as well so dekimyay's comment is hopefully noticed by the team. On the other hand, this video could, and probably should have been made without focusing on Koko in my opinion because no matter what was said, someone would accuse them of spreading misinformation due to how controversial the project was/is.

  • @duarteconchinhas
    @duarteconchinhas Рік тому +56

    Great video!!
    Minor correction, you said the heaviest deadlift in history is 501 kg, 3.3x hafthor bjorson body weight. Although the first part is true, the second is not, he weighted around 200kg when preforming the lift and also, he was wearing a force belt and straps which a gorilla would not

    • @TDREXrx9
      @TDREXrx9 Рік тому +35

      Plus all the training and nutrition could you imagine what a yolked gorilla could get with years of hitting the gym

    • @warpman74
      @warpman74 Рік тому

      @@TDREXrx9 Hahaha, I find the mental image of a gorilla hitting the gym hillarious!
      Thanks for the laugh!

    • @chris_jorge
      @chris_jorge Рік тому +21

      @@TDREXrx9 and anabolic steroids

    • @davidcrosthwaite
      @davidcrosthwaite Рік тому +1

      Does the belt actually make the lift easier or just reduce the likelihood of injury?

    • @duarteconchinhas
      @duarteconchinhas Рік тому +1

      @@davidcrosthwaite although not a lot, it improves core stabilization via proprioceptive feedback, which helps you to correct the breathing pattern and the movement itself. The strength gains are not impressive, but it definitely helps

  • @brucebufton899
    @brucebufton899 Рік тому +13

    What a great video, most hilarious part was when she threw in the "this is how gorillas get so yolked" 😂

  • @thecanadiandane7262
    @thecanadiandane7262 Рік тому +12

    I’ve been doing some personal research on ape communication, and I really don’t think they can use language in the same way humans can. To ask meaningful questions, to externalize thought processes, etcetera. More importantly, I also think that it shouldn’t matter.
    A gorilla shouldn’t have to have the capability to ask you how your day at work was to be considered an intelligent, emotional, and important individual. We need to be seeing how we can communicate WITH them instead of trying to force them to communicate on our terms. They’re much more focused on their incredibly complex emotional relationships with each other and themselves than the mysteries of the universe, we should respect that fact.

    • @mnxs
      @mnxs Рік тому +2

      Of course. However, the interest in these things, I believe, is really (from a scientific perspective anyway) the wish to try and quantify _what_ their intelligence is, and how sophisticated it is, and how we can even quantify that sophistication - as you say, they are gorillas, not humans. Our wider, non-scientific tendency to try and anthropomorphise everything certainly isn't good, though.

  • @evilferris
    @evilferris Рік тому +51

    Robin Williams telling about the time he spent with KoKo the gorilla said that she signed to her trainer, "I'd like to take him in the back now." Robin said the trainer told him, "if she takes you back there I can't help you."
    RIP the both of them.

    • @evananderson1455
      @evananderson1455 Рік тому +19

      In Koko's defense, Robin was an extremely hairy man. I can understand why she might have mistaken him for another gorilla....lol

    • @Navesblue
      @Navesblue Місяць тому

      😳 so how’d he manage to genie his way out of THAT Arabian Night?

  • @davegoud
    @davegoud Рік тому +63

    Awesome as usual!!! When I saw the thumbnail, I thought that maybe you might have gone down the MYH16 gene theory...which is the gene that has mutated in humans making us "weak-jawwed" compared to all other primates. It is thought that this gene deficiency had a role in humans developing larger brains. Something to look into if you are interested and how it was discovered is even more fascinating.

    • @KPH1992
      @KPH1992 2 місяці тому

      Gorillas are awesome. You should check this video about gorilla facts out: ua-cam.com/video/aqw8elOwPUk/v-deo.html

  • @ExpandDong420
    @ExpandDong420 9 місяців тому +6

    The thing I love about gorillas is that you immediately look at them and can't see how we're so closely related, until you look at their eyes and understand it completely

  • @gaulxtraining5444
    @gaulxtraining5444 Рік тому +9

    Yes, gorillas are insanely strong, but deadlifting is a poor comparison for strength given that gorillas have such short legs. With stubby legs and super long arms, they're essentially built for deadlifting. The forces required for them to lift something up in a deadlifting position are comparably small to humans

  • @bulbakip6380
    @bulbakip6380 Рік тому +4

    The people who say animals don't have feelings or thoughts or personalities don't spend any time around animals.

  • @truefluekiller
    @truefluekiller Рік тому +31

    I can not express how much I enjoy these videos. I love how scientifc and deep they are, truely unique. Thank you!

  • @Jacopopitaciu
    @Jacopopitaciu Рік тому +5

    This is the video I have been looking for a very long time, and finally it's here!! This dissertation over gorillas is simply amazing. Thank you..great job 🙌🙌🙌

  • @FelixstoweFoamForge
    @FelixstoweFoamForge Рік тому +2

    Superb and informative video! Oh, and I loved the "strength comparison" graphics, very "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy" in style..

  • @chromiumex2384
    @chromiumex2384 Рік тому +20

    The whole koko the gorilla speaking sign language has been thouroughly disproved

  • @deathpop4585
    @deathpop4585 Рік тому +24

    Was just talking to my friends about the gorillas insane gut biome. Glad the team at Real science are putting it in video form 👏

    • @iracingrookie3301
      @iracingrookie3301 Рік тому

      Sure you was

    • @martijn9568
      @martijn9568 Рік тому

      ​@@iracingrookie3301 Never doubt a nerd on the internet. Except dor that 'friends' part. We don't do that here😉

  • @compresswealthdivideeconom3757
    @compresswealthdivideeconom3757 Рік тому +24

    Was Koko ever asked if she wanted to give birth? We missed out on a great experiment. Had she given birth to several and she then taught her young the sign language, perhaps they could have slowly been let in the wild and we'd have them all speaking with their hands by now. They could become our friends.

    • @Bobogdan258
      @Bobogdan258 Рік тому +4

      They tried to find her a mate

    • @JTD472
      @JTD472 Рік тому +2

      There’s at least 3 reasons why that wouldn’t be possible

    • @Pushing_Pixels
      @Pushing_Pixels Рік тому +9

      That's the real test when it comes to primates learning sign language. Teach two of them and see if they start using it with each other, or whether it's only used in response to human prompts. I wonder if this has been done yet?

    • @vasudev6960
      @vasudev6960 Рік тому +10

      Intellegent women have trouble finding mates. As concluded by one human study.

    • @mateusmakrov
      @mateusmakrov Рік тому +2

      ​@@vasudev6960 humm😂

  • @jecellefetzer8716
    @jecellefetzer8716 Рік тому +5

    I think this is a prime example that humans struggle accepting we will never exactly understand other perceptions we have never experienced, no matter how much it closely we observe them

  • @charlie15627
    @charlie15627 Рік тому +9

    Wow, that 98% sounds quite telling... until you realize that we have 98% in common with the door mouse as well.

    • @sirBrouwer
      @sirBrouwer Рік тому +8

      We even share about 50% DNA with a banana.

    • @josecarlosmoreno9731
      @josecarlosmoreno9731 Рік тому +1

      This is the problem with popular science, that it misrepresents actual studies/findings/etc in order to best appeal to audience interests/desires. People who like animals will start from the view that animals are human-like and then popular science channels will appeal to this bias by emphasizing similarities in a manner that falsely implies cognitive similarity to humans. This video for example starts off with the case of Koko as an example of gorilla intelligence being similar to human intelligence even though Koko is a well proven fraud and case of animal cruelty.

    • @charlie15627
      @charlie15627 Рік тому

      @@josecarlosmoreno9731
      This whole 98% thing has also been widely used to promote the idea that we evolved from apes. When we have a 98% similarity with all mammals. It’s very misleading.
      We even have something like 97% similarity with cockroaches.
      All living creatures have the same basic building blocks. That doesn’t mean that we came from one another. If anything, it suggests that we were all built by the same creator.

    • @josecarlosmoreno9731
      @josecarlosmoreno9731 Рік тому

      @@charlie15627 ​ God creating the world and evolution are not mutually exclusive, idk why Americans (a lot of the strangest "Christian" denominations seem to be American) have this weird idea. The evidence, be it genetic, developmental, fossil, etc, is overwhelmingly in support of evolution and the human place in it. This doesn't contradict Christianity at all. The only theological question is when ensoulment happened for all humanity. Christ's kingdom is Truth, Truth is determined by Reason and Revelation, to study the natural world is to study God's creation, and therefore to reject scientific findings is to reject both Truth and God's creation. "Christians" who reject evolution reject God as creator of the world, for why else would the evidence prove evolution if not because of God? They also reject Truth as evolution is born of Reason along with the evidence, and therefore they reject God.

    • @charlie15627
      @charlie15627 Рік тому

      @@josecarlosmoreno9731
      What “evidence”?

  • @arshiaebi
    @arshiaebi Рік тому +10

    Today i learned that gorillas are perfect gym bros

  • @fireaza
    @fireaza Рік тому +3

    I like to imagine Koko and Robin Williams felt a shared kinship due to their similar levels of body hair.

  • @baashi3578
    @baashi3578 Рік тому +27

    Silverbacks are some of the most majestic creatures out there. Great learning more about them. Thank you Stephanie and Real Science team.

  • @westcoastwilly6261
    @westcoastwilly6261 Рік тому +3

    Such a good dive into gorillas. I would have loved a couple seconds explaining why they evolved to be so massive, and how far back we diverged from them, though.

  • @kathryncarter6143
    @kathryncarter6143 Рік тому +6

    I so would have loved to talked to Coco.
    I think she was communicating appropriately & decisively. She showed her sadness when the cat died. There was no treat or reward in sharing that thought.

  • @user-xd1cm9vu9s
    @user-xd1cm9vu9s Рік тому +7

    gorillas are my favourite primates. they’re gentle, smart, strong, beautiful, and overall fascinating animals. i would love to see a gorilla in the wild

  • @adamkrauss303
    @adamkrauss303 Рік тому +1

    So interesting and your well thought out and articulate narration is superb!

  • @TrabberShir
    @TrabberShir Рік тому +33

    16:25 Saying her sign language has been debunked is a bit strong for most of the claims I think you are referencing. The claims are better summarized as "the Koko project was not handled in a way that produced useful data" anecdotes make great stories, but bad data. The ability of a gorilla to learn ASL has not been debunked, but the claim that the ability has been clearly demonstrated has. With the data actually gathered, it is possible Koko was somewhat fluent in ASL, it is equally (or more) possible that her signage was simple Pavlovian training.

    • @cimi93x
      @cimi93x Рік тому +5

      it was absolutely debunked multiple times lol

    • @farexponent9173
      @farexponent9173 Рік тому +10

      ​@@cimi93xNo, it hasn't been fully debunked. It seems likely Koko was able to communicate partially through sign language but wasn't at the level that the care taker implied.
      To make the claim that this stuff has been debunked is equally as bad as saying it hasn't been debunked. It's easier to assume both sides are correct and wrong.
      Was Koko able to communicate what she wanted? Likely, yes. Was she fluent? No, probably not.
      Personally I feel like Koko was somewhere in between a dog and a human in the way she was able to communicate.
      It's basically impossible to tell though.

    • @calisto490
      @calisto490 Рік тому +5

      THANK YOU someone in this comments section that knows how to interpret data lol. Koko's case is indeterminate, not false :')

    • @farexponent9173
      @farexponent9173 Рік тому +1

      @@calisto490 Did you ever hear about the study they did a long time ago where these scientists raised their child with a chimp to see what would happen. They never finished the study but we learned a lot of interesting things. They ended the study prematurely as it was having negative consequences to their child.
      Worth looking into.

    • @calisto490
      @calisto490 Рік тому +2

      @@farexponent9173 haha yeah I'm actually an anthropologist it's a widely known case study :)

  • @reubenkearns5417
    @reubenkearns5417 Рік тому +5

    I find it so interesting how badass gorillas are. Such cool and interesting creatures.

  • @elliotfitzgerald8950
    @elliotfitzgerald8950 Рік тому +13

    I know many stories about Koko are fabricated to get attention, but there are a few stories that really exemplify her real intelligence. For example: a soldier once visited Koko and asked for her autograph. Koko signed back, “Sure, if I can have yours.”

    • @cimi93x
      @cimi93x Рік тому +7

      and how many times before that did she sign some nonsense which they brushed off as "oh she's just being shy/nervous"?

    • @minoadlawan4583
      @minoadlawan4583 Рік тому

      ha!

  • @Anarchyttg
    @Anarchyttg 2 місяці тому +2

    Koko's caretakers are also famous for doctoring events so they could push a message. Koko was used for her ability to mimic

  • @sapelesteve
    @sapelesteve Рік тому +47

    Excellent video! While much of what Koko was able to do can be attributed to anthropomorphism, it still does not negate the fact that she was able to alter her signing and express her own thoughts. She was indeed a very special Gorilla! 👍👍🐵🐵

  • @maksillorenzo9480
    @maksillorenzo9480 Рік тому +11

    The sad thing is that Koko was a circus trick, who never actually knew ASL. There was never a true scientific study done on Koko, the scientist that kept her never had any real documents published to prove her intelligence. The famous last words video from Koko is a great example of showing how unintelligent she really was. It’s a bunch of random words edited and cut together to make a vague sentence. One of the basic steps to learning language is speaking on your own when not being observed by other people (babies and toddlers do this all the time) and Koko never once did this. Ever single sign Koko ever signed was prompted by a human trainer. Koko was a circus trick who did what she knew would result in her getting a food reward. And they tricked us all. There’s a reason the government doesn’t fund animal human communication studies anymore, it’s a fruitless task. The longest sentence ever signed by a primate was basically “meet want orange, give me orange” a bunch of times. Koko was simply a more advanced version of this trick. Truly disheartening.

    • @MaxPower-vf8kt
      @MaxPower-vf8kt 9 місяців тому +3

      Agreed!!! It drives me crazy that people give her owner so much attention, when she kept her locked in a shitty office trailer. People don’t understand that “caring” for an animal, doesn’t equate to proper husbandry for the animal.
      Back to ASL and languages, Kanzi, the Bonobo, is probably the closest to language use, using a picture board/lexigram. And proper tests done. The lady seems a little out there who has done the studies, but it’s far more “scientific” than what happened to Koko. As an example, Kanzi would point to ball and the colour red, to mean tomato, but also apple. The picture board the turned to a device that spoke, then the pictures became abstract, IE a circle with a line through it, could mean “Red.” Kanzi would eventually figure it out. After associating the words, the trainer would cover their face, or be behind a wall and not visible, and ask for a “Ball” or showing the symbol for Ball, which could be an “X”, and Kanzi would go get the Ball. When a young Bonobo joined in the study, it started to pick up the language and Kanzi would use it to communicate. The humans just let it happen. There were other bonobos in the study, but Kanzi was the only one that seemed truly interested in wanting to learn. Unfortunately, the animal doesn’t look like it is getting the proper exercise/care, and is rather fat and unhealthy looking.

  • @cassandrastone2157
    @cassandrastone2157 Рік тому +2

    Me and my daughter have been on a science kick . We love these videos rn . I learned before work today that orchas used to have back legs and now that’s all I’m thinking about 😂

  • @Annathroy
    @Annathroy Рік тому +6

    I've always wanted to know how these strong primates came to be when intelligence for us meant usually weaker physical bodies

  • @robertwayne352
    @robertwayne352 Рік тому +2

    Yet another great video! I enjoyed learning. 🙂

  • @russellknight7729
    @russellknight7729 Рік тому +1

    Your vids always educate & entertain. Great work.

  • @bxchicc7799
    @bxchicc7799 Рік тому +5

    I absolutely LOVE Gorillas ❤🦍 this video was very informative and as well as enjoyable. Love learning anything about these beautiful majestic beasts🫶🏽🦍

  • @Sambochini
    @Sambochini Рік тому +24

    comparing thors max deadlift to a gorilla is a bit benign. He has insane genetics, has been assisted by years of steroid use and has trained for that excercise for many years. Imagine if a gorilla could do the same amount of training... imagine how heavy they could go.

    • @vampyberry
      @vampyberry Рік тому +3

      Gorillas train for entire lives tho not necessarily in deadlift but they are not like average human.

    • @johnhoney5089
      @johnhoney5089 Рік тому +3

      @@vampyberry Gorillas are one of the less active apes. They don't work out in the trees as much as chimps, and a significant portion of the day is spent sleeping and socializing (the siesta) and an additional 11 hours are for feeding.
      Their musculature is in part due to their myostatin gene differing from humans. Humans with a copy of the gene closer to other apes are jacked as children.

  • @christianfulton3918
    @christianfulton3918 Рік тому +3

    Thank you for this amazing video. The work this team does on this channel is second to none.

  • @Davethreshold
    @Davethreshold Рік тому

    Thank you for another great video. As you talked about language, I fantasized about them signing, "Leave our habitat alone!" 🖤

  • @yuvikagupta9318
    @yuvikagupta9318 Рік тому +2

    Wow! nature never fails to amaze me.... really hope we learn more about interspecific communications

  • @sivertsolheim366
    @sivertsolheim366 Рік тому +3

    I would think part of why gorillas are so much stronger than humans is because they rely on physical abilities to survive. They walk on all fours and climb trees (i assume), while the average human drives to the office, does office things for 8 hours, makes dinner, watches TV and sleeps.

  • @freddyjosereginomontalvo4667
    @freddyjosereginomontalvo4667 Рік тому +3

    Awesome video about majestic creatures.

  • @chemchaos787
    @chemchaos787 Рік тому

    Some of the best content on all of UA-cam. Keep it up!

  • @anastasiasokolov332
    @anastasiasokolov332 10 місяців тому +2

    those cuddles 😂❤ awww real love

  • @alengm
    @alengm Рік тому +4

    My favorite episode so far. Can't wait for an episode about whale language

  • @TesserId
    @TesserId Рік тому +3

    UA-cam's been suggesting this one to me for a while. I've been resisting it. Well, it finally sank in; did you want people to think what would happen if there was a throw down between a grizzly and a gorilla? Now I want to hear from those who could speak to what it would take to make it a peaceful, and yes, touching encounter.

    • @Dave_of_Mordor
      @Dave_of_Mordor Рік тому

      raise them together. that's literally the only way to make it peaceful

  • @Jizzlewobbwtfcus
    @Jizzlewobbwtfcus 2 місяці тому

    I actually learnt more about Gorillas, Great White Sharks and Hammerhead sharks from this channel than even the BBC David Attenborough nature documentaries have taught me.
    SUPERB channel. You should be proud.
    New subber : ]

  • @dontfearthereaper2887
    @dontfearthereaper2887 Рік тому +1

    Flesh eating human: "you don't eat meat? you must be so weak!" Gorilla: come here, let me show you how weak I am

  • @scouvs6086
    @scouvs6086 Рік тому +4

    could you maybe do a video about the biology of flying fish would be kinda cool :D

  • @maximusprimus0437
    @maximusprimus0437 Рік тому +189

    Let’s goooooo 0 hour gang

  • @jeanm182
    @jeanm182 Рік тому

    Great video, I really enjoyed it, please do more about the other great apes 🤞🏽🤞🏽

  • @BLove0
    @BLove0 Рік тому +1

    Hey i remember seeing Dr. Robin Morrison on Maya Higa's Conservation cast! Love to see that. good video

  • @Sheamu5
    @Sheamu5 Рік тому +4

    Joe Rogan's been real quiet since this video dropped

  • @vedantmanjarekar8983
    @vedantmanjarekar8983 Рік тому +3

    This channel is doing a great job with animation to explain everything from how and why animals have their superhuman strength , digestive system , lifestyle patterns and all about biology of living beings. Great stuff!! 👏👏❤

  • @viewer-of-content
    @viewer-of-content Рік тому +2

    People have also conversed with Prairie Dogs they have complex nowns and adjectives to describe clothing, animals, and people's characteristics

  • @RyzawaVT
    @RyzawaVT Рік тому

    I love Koko's story, always makes me want a friendimal. Such fascinating creatures.

  • @apap4606
    @apap4606 Рік тому +5

    Would it be possible to implement some of those cellulose-eating bacteria into a human gut biome?

    • @masterbruce556
      @masterbruce556 Рік тому +3

      This is the question we all need answered. I know we can do that between humans, but since gorillas are similar to us, idk.

    • @turbo8628
      @turbo8628 Рік тому

      ​@@SlinkyDrinky a reliance on 18kg of food a day sounds like it would make the problem worse if anything.

  • @ironman5034
    @ironman5034 Рік тому +3

    when talking about the Dian Fossey please mention it's location rwanda, they are trying very hard (rwanda) to make the gorillas safe and grow in numbers, tourists going there pay and the money goes to gorilla conservation, thanks

  • @regalherbsman5938
    @regalherbsman5938 5 місяців тому +1

    I'm stoned and the ape @ 4:48 made me LOL

  • @pamaerysovershares7373
    @pamaerysovershares7373 Рік тому

    My favourite thing is how much they are just chilling out and enjoying life, playing, just living their best lives 😅 love that so much

  • @Daeon108
    @Daeon108 Рік тому +4

    I wonder if its possible to do a transfer of the gut bacteria from one organism to another. Would be pretty interesting if you were able to pass on the ability to process cellulose to others. Sure you likely wouldnt be able to eat raw wood, but maybe a pre-pulped version? Feel like that could have alot interesting applications

    • @ItzCoopzFtw
      @ItzCoopzFtw Рік тому

      Nah we're good. That's how viruses come about, we've already had one this century, wait for next century.

    • @Juulnvm
      @Juulnvm 11 місяців тому

      You might be able to slightly digest fiber, however I believe it’s the fact their secum is much more adapted to do that for them than ours,

  • @Roselvet
    @Roselvet Рік тому +2

    Really amazing work on your videos. I watch them on Nebula, where I can't like/comment, so I'll do it here!
    Real Science and Real Engineering is what every science-related channel should aspire to! 😊 👏👏

  • @samicherif8796
    @samicherif8796 Рік тому

    Rip koko, i heard about her in a “bill burr” joke, and i thought it cannot be possible, i am still in awe by what she learned and expressed ❤️

  • @littlecatdude7192
    @littlecatdude7192 Рік тому

    Love this video! It's amazing

  •  Рік тому +3

    Perfect video.

  • @lawka2699
    @lawka2699 Рік тому +4

    Koko is cool but she's been demoted from being an eligible study argument point for years now... if you don't know, just look into the making of "Koko's message to the world about peace". It's not bad that it's staged, it's bad that it was reported as not being staged. :(

  • @randomviewer1366
    @randomviewer1366 Рік тому +2

    I love those Gorillas, especially the ones who go to my school.

  • @JohnBaur-kf8eu
    @JohnBaur-kf8eu Рік тому

    You are awesome at this.. you make people want to listen good job

  • @daniell1483
    @daniell1483 Рік тому +11

    Considering how much Koko's "language" skills have been debunked, I think it is a mistake to include that in the video. So much of her signing was random gibberish as to be functionally useless. I'm sure that gorillas have their own communication skills, but sign language simply isn't one of them.

  • @Randomguy26589
    @Randomguy26589 Рік тому +3

    Rest in peace harambe😔

    • @lrighttobewhite
      @lrighttobewhite Рік тому

      Virtue? Virtue where are you?

    • @johnnydoe3603
      @johnnydoe3603 Рік тому +1

      @@lrighttobewhite That Rare
      Snowflake on a Science Video. 🥳

  • @voidnimbus
    @voidnimbus Рік тому

    PLEASE, make one of this series about the Peregrine Falcon! It's my favorite animal and his "hardware" is absolutely ridiculous

  • @thebipolarpsychonaut4984
    @thebipolarpsychonaut4984 Рік тому +2

    Interestingly Koko NEVER asked a single question. No animal taught to communicate has ever asked a question to a human. Comprehending that that another being has information is simply beyond their thinking ability.

    • @meepinton-pn4vm
      @meepinton-pn4vm 3 місяці тому

      Yeah I think that's called theory of mind.. basically Koko cannot comprehend or understand that others have different perspectives and viewpoints

  • @kanojo1969
    @kanojo1969 Рік тому +9

    The most interesting thing about gorilla sign-language is what they *don't* ever talk about. No signing animal has ever asked 'who am i' or 'what am i', they can ask for food or cuddles, but they never ask 'why am I here?' or 'where do you go when you leave?'.
    These kinds of questions are the crucial difference between humans and other animals. I'd like to think dolphins and/or whales are perhaps capable of such things, but gorillas, monkeys, and parrots definitely aren't.

    • @johnhoney5089
      @johnhoney5089 Рік тому

      Depends. If the sign language claims are in fact hoaxes, as many are claiming, then they wouldn't get to ask those questions anyway.
      However, I have heard about orangutans "asking" it before, so perhaps they should be looked into.
      I also think it depends on the individual. Members of a single ape family seem to differ widely in intellect. The gorilla Gentaro outdoes chimpanzees in intelligence experiments - his mother Genki on the other hand performs poorly.

    • @raheem201231
      @raheem201231 Рік тому +7

      It took humans 30,000. Millions of myths and gods to get to this point. You cannot expect that level of question off the rip.

    • @chinapossum
      @chinapossum Рік тому

      Alex the african grey parrot once asked "what colour am I?"

    • @turbo8628
      @turbo8628 Рік тому +2

      They lack the language to ask those questions, regardless of them having the thoughts or not.
      Also, why would you ask a human these questions when we clearly don't have those answers either.

    • @SA-wu4lv
      @SA-wu4lv Рік тому

      Only the bottlenose dolphin is considered to be smarter than a pig. Abstract thinking used to be considered solely a human trait, but for example parrots and bees have understood that zero is less than one during calculation tasks.

  • @kung-fukennyfamily
    @kung-fukennyfamily Рік тому +7

    Animals can be one true friend of a human being, Dont hurt them ever.

  • @hhhornethh
    @hhhornethh 2 дні тому

    You have a beautiful channel. Making me miss comparative anatomy.

  • @MrYoshigu
    @MrYoshigu Рік тому +2

    Would love to see: “The insane cuteness of the Panda”

    • @martijn9568
      @martijn9568 Рік тому

      Black spots around their eyes and human baby like proportions. Boom! Video done😅

  • @donniedead9436
    @donniedead9436 Рік тому +3

    Those stats actually sound like Eddie hall💀

  • @hunterG60k
    @hunterG60k Рік тому +5

    How anyone can see apes interacting with each other, never mind humans; using tools and sign language; *know* that we share 99% of our DNA with them, and STILL deny their sentience is frickin' mind-blowing to me! Human brains *are* ape brains and they didn't just pop into existence a few thousand years ago; they share most of their evolutionary history with those other ape brains. They have all the same parts, just varying in size and proportion, and connected slightly differently. Human exceptionalism stretches to the ridiculous at times in trying to deny our similarity to other animals.

    • @cesaralcaraz819
      @cesaralcaraz819 3 місяці тому

      Fr, some don’t like the fact that humans are animals at the end of the day.

  • @visavo
    @visavo Рік тому

    Thank you !!! I love your channel

  • @hamstersmash
    @hamstersmash Рік тому

    Thank you 😊 I feel like this video was in response to my nagging to cover this topic haha, interspecies communication is so fascinating and unreal, love it

  • @JayThandi
    @JayThandi Рік тому +4

    Apes (not just primates have shown signs of keeping pets like dogs). We have evolved to speak, but once upon a time our ancestors probably would have communicated through gestures, facial expressions, grunts and posture/body language.
    I think Koko found her way to communicate what she wanted/needed which is an incredible feat. They should try teaching more gorilla's and see if they can use sign to communicate amongst themselves

  • @nightcap43
    @nightcap43 Рік тому +3

    Why would she lie about being sad

  • @tekamer6566
    @tekamer6566 Рік тому

    I needed this video so much.

  • @rbesfe
    @rbesfe Рік тому +10

    I hope this video gets a gorillion views

  • @leothesilent5410
    @leothesilent5410 Рік тому

    Great content as always. Would like to see a video on chameleons and their colour changing skin.