TOKYO: Humans may not be unique in their ability to remember sequence of events in films, according to a study, that found chimps and bonobos can recall movie scenes and anticipate the next move.
Researchers at Kyoto University adapted eye-tracking technology for the apes, enabling them to record how they were viewing various video clips.
“When shown a video for the second time, after a 24-hour delay, the apes clearly anticipated what was coming next,” said author Fumihiro Kano.
The team created two series of short films, King Kong Attack and Revenge to King Kong, in which the apes were shown a familiar sort of environment where rather shockingly unfamiliar events take place. For example in the first series, two doors are visible, but an attacking King Kong emerges from the right or left side. When shown the film again, the apes’ attention focused on the side they had seen previously, even before Kong emerged.
