The ability to imagine has long been thought of as uniquely human - but scientists have discovered that apes can also extend their mental lives “beyond the here and now”.
In a series of tea party-like experiments, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US demonstrated for the first time that apes can use their imagination and “play pretend”. One bonobo engaged with cups of imaginary juice and bowls of pretend grapes, in a similar way you’d expect a toddler to.
