Game-Playing Chimps

People aren’t the only ones who can throw down when it comes to playing rock-paper-scissors. It turns out that chimpanzees can also learn the game.

Recently, a team of scientists in Japan used a computerized version of the game to teach seven chimpanzees the basic rules: rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock. Then the apes played hundreds of rounds with the computer. Another computer program analyzed the games and compared the chimpanzees’ learning patterns with those of children.

The result? Chimpanzees play rock-paper-scissors at about the same skill level as a 4-year-old child. One difference the researchers noted: Kids tend to change their hand sign after losing a round, but chimps often stick with a move until they win. The scientists next hope to teach the chimps to play one another.