Dr. Strum, an anthropologist, has been studying baboon society for over 20 years. She knows each one of the baboons by name, and has learned how to read their expressions and behavior. She tells us that baboons can t form words or speak like humans. They still have ways to communicate how they re feeling. Using grunts, screeches, and body language, they can tell each other they are excited, afraid, happy, hungry, or depressed.
Baboons have pretty complicated social lives.
This week s History Mystery was about why baboons make friends. Your answers to this mystery will help Dr. Strum figure out how baboon society might be similar to the earliest human societies. Baboons have to cooperate with one other to survive. They need to be able to communicate well to avoid conflict and work together. The evolution of language was an important step in becoming human.