Cool Science-y Tidbits

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Something a little more recent.  Trying to set up a single son isn't unique to doting human mothers.

They found that while both bonobo and chimpanzee mothers would advocate for their sons in male-on-male conflicts, bonobo moms went the extra mile to aid their sons' copulation efforts. This involved protecting their sons' mating attempts from other males and intervening in other male's mating attempts.
The bonobo mothers were also able to use their rank in the bonobo's matriarchal society to give their sons access to popular spots within social groups in the community and help them achieve higher male status -- and therefore, better mating opportunities. The authors note that these interactions were rare in chimpanzee societies and did not have an effect on male fertility; in chimpanzees males hold dominant positions over females, making the actions of chimp mothers less influential than those of bonobo mothers.
Interestingly, bonobo moms did not extend similar help to their daughters, nor were there any observations of daughters receiving assistance in rearing their offspring. "In bonobo social systems, the daughters disperse from the native community and the sons stay," Surbeck says. "And for the few daughters that stay in the community, which we don't have many examples of, we don't see them receiving much help from their mothers."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...171625.htm

Jaysus.  The next thing you know, bonobo mums will be paying millions to get their kids into good schools.

Boru