Science · 5 March 2026
Chimps' crystal choice reveals ancient human aesthetic link
A new study in Frontiers in Psychology found chimpanzees are naturally drawn to quartz crystals over ordinary rocks, preferring them for their transparency and geometric shape. Researchers at Spain's Donostia International Physics Center gave two groups of sanctuary chimps access to crystals, finding they spent significantly more time with them, inspected their transparency and sorted them from pebbles within seconds. Because humans and chimps diverged six to seven million years ago, researchers conclude the fascination with crystals may be a deeply shared primate cognitive trait.
Reported by Frontiers in Psychology / Phys.org · How we write briefs