Now more than ever, we need clarity in the study of human biology and evolution, which requires that we challenge intuition and reevaluate long-standing interpretations of the natural world. As our closest living relatives, chimpanzees have enjoyed a privileged position in the comparative study of human biology. Evolutionary anthropologists have long pointed to apparent differences between humans and chimpanzees to help reconstruct our evolutionary history. Indeed, genetic and morphological studies have identified compelling differences between our species. However, the more data scientists accumulate on chimpanzees, especially those living in their natural habitats, the more we find that many supposed human-chimpanzee differences are steeped in assumptions or reflect recent alterations to chimpanzee habitats. In this talk, I will interrogate intuitive understandings of chimpanzees that are rooted in human exceptionalism, drawing on a wide range of topics from tool use to menopause to caretaking behavior. I will explore why long-term studies have complicated our understanding of chimpanzees and question whether we really know what to look for when investigating interspecific comparative questions about chimpanzee biology. Finally, I will argue that anthropologists need fewer “grand theories” centered on human uniqueness and more description of nonhuman primate behavior, physiology, and ecology.

Jacob Negrey is an assistant professor in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. He studies interactions between behavior, health, and environment in wild chimpanzees, with a special focus on infectious disease and immune function. He co-directs the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, which is committed to the long-term study and conservation of chimpanzees living in Kibale National Park, Uganda, and directs the Applied Primate Eco-omics (A.P.E.) Lab at the University of Arizona, which uses non-invasive “omics” methods to study ecological forces that shape primate health.