Have zoo animals become so used to the sound of humanity that they no longer prefer natural noises? A group of researchers seem to think so. In Finland, a group of monkeys exhibited a preference for the sounds of traffic over the sound of nature.

At the Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki, a monkey enclosure was fitted with sensors. The white-faced saki monkeys were then given the option to choose between a playlist loaded with traffic noises, nature, rain, and dance music among many.

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Dr Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, a researcher at the Aalto University in&nbsp;Finland, told Sky News that they were surprised to find that the monkeys preferred traffic sounds more than the apperceived calming sounds.

Among monkeys, the traffic playlist was the top hit. While the playlist played, monkeys groomed themselves, and even slept with he sounds on. This is peculiar because they did not perform any of these activities while listening to other playlists.

According to the zoo’s research coordinator - Kirsi Pynnonen, the noise on roads mimics patterns and mechanisms in which animals communicate with each other.

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She told Sky News that animals employ “high-pitched hissing, squeaking, and croaking to stay in contact with each other”.

The experiment was done as part of an ongoing research which intends to understand how technology can be employed to improve the condition of animals that live in captivity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/russia-spreads-fake-news-about-oxfords-covid-19-vaccine-claims-it-turns-humans-into-monkeys-335768" hreflang="en">Russia spreads fake news about Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine; claims it turns humans into monkeys</a>

Dr Hirskyj-Douglas signalled that this is just the beginning, and that later animals could control lighting and temperature settings, and even play games on their own.

Next up, the team of researchers will set up screens to offer monkeys the chance to watch what they wish to see on the big screen.

Have zoo animals become so used to the sound of humanity that they no longer prefer natural noises? A group of researchers seem to think so. In Finland, a group of monkeys exhibited a preference for the sounds of traffic over the sound of nature.

Have zoo animals become so used to the sound of humanity that they no longer prefer natural noises? A group of researchers seem to think so. In Finland, a group of monkeys exhibited a preference for the sounds of traffic over the sound of nature. At the Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki, a monkey enclosure was fitted with sensors. The white-faced saki monkeys were then given the option to choose between a playlist loaded with traffic noises, nature, rain, and dance music among many. In pics: 8 animals you didn't know could sing! Dr Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, a researcher at the Aalto University in Finland, told Sky News that they were surprised to find that the monkeys preferred traffic sounds more than the apperceived calming sounds. Among monkeys, the traffic playlist was the top hit. While the playlist played, monkeys groomed themselves, and even slept with he sounds on. This is peculiar because they did not perform any of these activities while listening to other playlists. According to the zoo’s research coordinator - Kirsi Pynnonen, the noise on roads mimics patterns and mechanisms in which animals communicate with each other. Also read: Scientists just developed spray-on bandages! She told Sky News that animals employ “high-pitched hissing, squeaking, and croaking to stay in contact with each other”. The experiment was done as part of an ongoing research which intends to understand how technology can be employed to improve the condition of animals that live in captivity. Also read: Russia spreads fake news about Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine; claims it turns humans into monkeys Dr Hirskyj-Douglas signalled that this is just the beginning, and that later animals could control lighting and temperature settings, and even play games on their own. Next up, the team of researchers will set up screens to offer monkeys the chance to watch what they wish to see on the big screen.

Monkeys in a Finnish zoo preferred noise of traffic over nature, ongoing study finds

Humans might have learned how to eat cashews by observing monkeys, according to a new study which found evidence that Brazilian capuchins have been using stone tools to crack open the nuts for at least 700 years. 
 
Researchers from Oxford University in the UK and University of Sao Paulo in Brazil observed groups of modern capuchins at Serra da Capivara National Park in northeast Brazil&nbsp;and combined this with archaeological data from the same site. 
 
They watched wild capuchins use stones as hand-held hammers and anvils to pound open hard foods such as seeds and cashew nuts, with young monkeys learning from older ones how to do the same. 
 
The capuchins created what researchers describe as &#39;recognisable cashew processing sites&#39;, leaving stone tools in piles at specific places like the base of cashew trees or on tree branches after use. 
 
They found that capuchins picked their favourite tools from stones lying around, selecting those most suitable for the task. 
 
Stones used as anvils were over four times heavier than hammer stones, and hammers four times heavier than average natural stones, researchers said. 
 
The capuchins also chose particular materials, using smooth, hard quartzite stones as hammers, while flat sandstones became anvils, they said. 
 
Using archaeological methods, researchers excavated a total of 69 stones to see if this tool technology had developed at all over time. 
 
They dug to a depth of 0.7 metres at a site close to cashew trees where they had seen modern capuchins frequently using their stone tools. 
 
They identified the tools from inspecting the size and shape of the stones, as well as the distinctive damage on the stone surface caused by capuchin pounding. 
 
Through mass spectrometry, researchers were able to confirm that dark-coloured residues on the tools were specifically from cashew nuts. 
 
They also carbon dated small pieces of charcoal discovered with the stones to establish the oldest were at least 600 to 700 years old - meaning the tools predate the arrival of Europeans in the New World. 
 
Researchers estimate that around 100 generations of capuchins have used this tradition of stone tools. They compared tools used by modern capuchins with the oldest excavated examples, finding they were similar in terms of weight and materials chosen. 
 
This apparent lack of change over hundreds of years suggests monkeys are &#39;conservative&#39;, preferring not to change the technology used, unlike humans living in the same region. 
 
&quot;Cashew nuts are native to this area of Brazil, and it is possible that the first humans to arrive here learned about this unknown food through watching the monkeys and their primate cashew processing industry,&quot; said Michael Haslam from Oxford. 
 
The findings were published in the journal Current Biology. 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Researchers watched wild capuchins use stones as hand-held hammers and anvils to pound open hard foods such as seeds and cashew nuts

Humans might have learned how to eat cashews by observing monkeys, according to a new study which found evidence that Brazilian capuchins have been using stone tools to crack open the nuts for at least 700 years. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK and University of Sao Paulo in Brazil observed groups of modern capuchins at Serra da Capivara National Park in northeast Brazil and combined this with archaeological data from the same site. They watched wild capuchins use stones as hand-held hammers and anvils to pound open hard foods such as seeds and cashew nuts, with young monkeys learning from older ones how to do the same. The capuchins created what researchers describe as 'recognisable cashew processing sites', leaving stone tools in piles at specific places like the base of cashew trees or on tree branches after use. They found that capuchins picked their favourite tools from stones lying around, selecting those most suitable for the task. Stones used as anvils were over four times heavier than hammer stones, and hammers four times heavier than average natural stones, researchers said. The capuchins also chose particular materials, using smooth, hard quartzite stones as hammers, while flat sandstones became anvils, they said. Using archaeological methods, researchers excavated a total of 69 stones to see if this tool technology had developed at all over time. They dug to a depth of 0.7 metres at a site close to cashew trees where they had seen modern capuchins frequently using their stone tools. They identified the tools from inspecting the size and shape of the stones, as well as the distinctive damage on the stone surface caused by capuchin pounding. Through mass spectrometry, researchers were able to confirm that dark-coloured residues on the tools were specifically from cashew nuts. They also carbon dated small pieces of charcoal discovered with the stones to establish the oldest were at least 600 to 700 years old - meaning the tools predate the arrival of Europeans in the New World. Researchers estimate that around 100 generations of capuchins have used this tradition of stone tools. They compared tools used by modern capuchins with the oldest excavated examples, finding they were similar in terms of weight and materials chosen. This apparent lack of change over hundreds of years suggests monkeys are 'conservative', preferring not to change the technology used, unlike humans living in the same region. "Cashew nuts are native to this area of Brazil, and it is possible that the first humans to arrive here learned about this unknown food through watching the monkeys and their primate cashew processing industry," said Michael Haslam from Oxford. The findings were published in the journal Current Biology. (PTI)

Monkeys may have taught us how to eat cashew nuts

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Monkeys in a Finnish zoo preferred noise of traffic over nature, ongoing study finds

Monkeys may have taught us how to eat cashew nuts