LiveScience Topics: Monkeys

A monkey is a long-tailed, medium-sized member of the order of Primates. The primate order also includes macaques, baboons, guenons, capuchins, marmosets, and tamarins. Monkeys today are a member of two of the three groups of simian primates, the New World monkeys and the Old World monkeys, of which there are 264 known species. Apes and chimpanzees are not scientifically classified as monkeys, a common misconception due to their physical similarities. Some distinguishing features between New World and Old World monkeys include the tail. Most New World monkeys have prehensile tails while Old World monkeys do not. The facial features of each group of monkeys also differ substantially; however, there are a number of shared features as well. Monkeys are a very diverse family of species, ranging in size from the 5-6 inch Pygmy Marmoset, to the adult male Mandrill, which can be 3 feet tall. Some monkeys spend the majority if their lives in treetops, while others call savannas and grasslands home. Most monkeys survive of a diet of fruit, leaves, nuts, berries, eggs, insects and they occasionally hunt other smaller animals.

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NASA to Subject Monkeys to Radiation

NASA plans to subject a group of monkeys to radiation to study what might happen to humans on long-term space missions, such as trips to the moon and Mars.
Human Evolution: The Origin of Tool Use

Why did we start using tools? What do other tool users in our family tree say about our early evolution?
Rare Monkey Interbred with Baboons, Study Suggests

A rare monkey may have mated with baboons in the past.

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Therapy Fixes Color Blindness in Monkeys

Gene therapy has given two color-blind monkeys the ability to see red.
Chimps Catch Yawns from Cartoon

It doesn't even take a real chimp to pass on the yawning bug.
Animals Think About Thinking, Research Suggests

Dolphins and some non-human primates rival humans in cognitive abilities.
Chimps Pack Specialized Tool Kits

A study shows that chimps have specific tools for specific tasks.
Monkeys Born of Two Mothers

Techniques similar to cloning produced monkeys with the genes of two mothers. Could help with human diseases.
Sloth and Primate Fossils Found in Underwater Cave

A primate skull and sloth bones are some of the treasures discovered in a prehistoric cave.
Monkeys (and Humans) Prefer Mimics

Capuchin monkeys show affiliation for those who imitate them, similar to humans.
Humans Walked After Tree-Climbing Era, Study Indicates

Many scientists think early humans walked on their knuckles before evolving the ability to walk upright, but a new study suggests they may have bypassed that step.
We Learn More from Success than Failure

Monkey's learn more after a success than after a failure, according to a new study.
Chimps Get AIDS

Chimpanzees infected with SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus) do contract and die from AIDS.
New Long-Tailed Monkey Discovered in Amazon

A new monkey subspecies with quite a long tail has been discovered in a remote region of the Amazon in Brazil.
Hot Debate: Are You More Like Chimps or Orangutans?

Contrary to popular wisdom, two biologists are arguing that orangutans, not chimps, are humans closest relatives.
Crying Baby Monkeys Get on Everyone's Nerves

When baby rhesus monkeys want to suckle, they do what human infants do: cry, cry, cry.
Fair Trade: What We Know That Chimps Don't

Humans might be the only primates that truly understand the value of a good trade.
Monkey See, Monkey Steal

Capuchin monkeys make fake predator calls, then steal food left by those who scattered.
Pre-Human Giggles: Laughter Goes Back 10 Million Years

Laughter can be traced to back to the last common ancestor of humans and great apes.
New Giant Lemur Species Discovered

A third species of the extinct giant lemurs has been discovered in northwest Madagascar, the first addition to the group in more than 100 years.
Monkeys Become Latest Glowing Animals

Japanese researchers took a green fluorescent protein gene, wove it into the DNA of marmosets embryos, then let the monkeys mate.
Why Chimps Don't Get Alzheimer's

Plaque in the brain is different in chimps compared to humans.
Amid Media Circus, Scientists Doubt 'Ida' Is Your Ancestor

A new primate fossil has made waves among scientists and non-scientists.
Why 'Ida' Inspires Navel-Gazing at Our Ancestry

The mishmash of features in a new primate fossil reminds us that the story of our past might be more complicated than we think.

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LiveScience Topics: Monkeys

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