Horizon Season 2006 Episode 14 Chimps are People Too

Chimps are People Too is the 14th episode of the Horizon TV show, season 2006. This episode takes a look at how chimpanzees have, for a long time, been viewed as lower beings than humans. However, it challenges this view by exploring just how intelligent chimpanzees really are and how similar they are to humans.

The show begins by introducing us to a 26-year-old chimpanzee named Panbanisha living in a specially designed primate language research centre in Georgia, USA. We see her interacting with humans and using a special symbol board to communicate with them.

We are then shown the history of primate research and how it began with trying to prove that animals are just machines, and therefore not capable of rational thought. However, through the show, we discover that chimpanzees are capable of much more than previously thought and have a remarkable ability to learn complex behaviours.

The show features interviews with various experts in the field of animal behaviour, such as Jane Goodall, who has dedicated her life to studying chimpanzees in the wild, and Thomas Suddendorf, who has studied the development of cognition in chimpanzees and humans.

We also learn about the research that has been conducted into chimpanzee intelligence, including one study that demonstrated chimpanzees' ability to use tools. The study showed that chimpanzees are capable of creating tools from materials in their environment, which is a trait previously thought to be unique to humans.

In addition, the episode highlights the emotional intelligence of chimpanzees and their ability to form strong emotional bonds with other members of their group. We see footage of a group of chimpanzees in the wild who have formed a close-knit family group, where individuals care for one another, mourn the loss of members, and even comfort one another when distressed.

The show also explores the ethical implications of the research conducted on chimpanzees and the argument for giving them greater rights. We see footage of chimpanzees in laboratories and are told about the research that has been conducted on them, such as testing of cosmetics and infectious diseases.

The episode concludes by challenging the viewer to rethink their perception of chimpanzees and to consider whether they should be given greater rights and protections. It leaves us with the impression that chimpanzees are not so different from humans and are capable of experiencing a range of emotions and behaviours that previously were thought to be unique to our species. Overall, Chimps are People Too is a thought-provoking episode that challenges our beliefs about the intelligence and sentience of chimpanzees.