The monkey­s underw­ent memory tests requir­ing them to rememb­er colour­s and shapes on a screen­HONG KONG: Chinese scientists have implanted human brain genes into monkeys, in a study intended to provide insights into the unique evolution of human intelligence. Researchers inserted human versions of MCPH1, a gene that scientists believe plays a role in the development of the human brain, into 11 rhesus monkeys. “Our findings demonstrated that transgenic nonhuman primates (excluding ape species) have the potential to provide important — and potentially unique — insights into basic questions of what actually makes human unique,” the authors wrote. The monkeys underwent memory tests requiring them to remember colours and shapes on a screen, and were subjected to MRI scans. “The genome of rhesus monkeys differs from ours by a few percent.

Source: The Express Tribune April 11, 2019 09:56 UTC