What's Behind the Boozy Behavior of Wild Chimpanzees?

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have confirmed that wild African chimpanzees regularly consume alcohol, shedding light on the evolutionary origins of human fondness for booze. The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, analyzed the urine of chimps in a Ugandan rainforest and found high levels of a byproduct of ethanol ingestion. This discovery supports the "drunken monkey hypothesis," which proposes that the human attraction to alcohol dates back to the origin of the great apes.

According to Aleksey Maro, a UC Berkeley graduate student who led the study, the chimps' love for booze is likely due to their diet of fermented fruit. "The fruits that chimps eat in the wild contain enough alcohol from fermentation to make them tipsy," Maro explained. This behavior is not unique to chimps, as other animals have also been observed consuming fermented food and drinks.

But what does this mean for humans? The study's findings suggest that our fondness for alcohol may be an evolutionary leftover from our primate ancestors. As Robert Dudley, a UC Berkeley professor and co-author of the study, noted, "The human attraction to alcohol is a complex phenomenon that has its roots in our evolutionary history."

Meanwhile, in the Arctic, human activity is having a profound impact on the environment. Climate change is causing the melting of sea ice, leading to increased human activity and noise pollution in the Arctic Ocean. This is having a devastating impact on the region's wildlife, which relies on sound to communicate and navigate. As one expert noted, "The Arctic Ocean is becoming a noisier place, and this is having profound impacts on the lives of the animals that live there."

In other news, researchers have found that decision-making nudges can improve racial equity in tenure decisions. A study published in a leading academic journal found that subtle changes to the evaluation process can help reduce biases and promote fairness. This is particularly important in academia, where tenure decisions can make or break a career.

Finally, astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery about an ultraluminous X-ray pulsar in the Whale galaxy. The study, published on the arXiv preprint server, provides essential information about the magnetic field evolution of this enigmatic object. Ultraluminous X-ray sources are mysterious objects that emit incredibly high levels of X-ray radiation, and scientists are still struggling to understand their nature.

As we explore the natural world and the universe, we are constantly reminded of the complexity and diversity of life on Earth and beyond. From the boozy behavior of wild chimpanzees to the noisy Arctic Ocean and the mysteries of the universe, there is always more to learn and discover.

Sources:

• Maro, A., & Dudley, R. (2026). Ethanol consumption in wild African chimpanzees. Biology Letters, 12(2), 20160134.
• Dudley, R. (2014). The Drunken Monkey: Why We Drink and Abuse Alcohol. University of California Press.
• Science X. (2026). Human activity is making the Arctic's waters louder.
• Science X. (2026). Decision-making nudges can improve racial equity in tenure decisions.
• arXiv. (2026). Accretion-induced decay of the magnetic field of NGC 4631 X8.