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Get the free app no ads · no paywallNews · 22 July 2026
Scientists at Durham University found great apes use physical contact, like touching, embracing, and kissing, to reassure each other before conflicts over food. This behaviour helps them cooperate, and those who touched were more likely to share food peacefully. Experts suggest this use of touch to build trust could date back seven million years, before humans and apes split.
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