Since the 1960s, scientists have made incredible progress teaching apes sign language. Gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos have learned to use hundreds of signs to express needs, emotions, and even abstract thoughts. They can sign words like “love,” “sorry,” and “play.” They can string signs together to describe events or express desires. But after decades of research, one haunting detail remains: apes have never asked a single question.
This absence is not due to a lack of vocabulary or comprehension. In fact, apes can understand and respond to questions posed by humans. Famous cases like Koko the gorilla and the chimpanzee Sarah, studied by researchers David and Ann James Premack, revealed that apes could process complex instructions and make choices. Yet, not once did they ask “what,” “why,” or “where.” They never initiated a question — not even about things they didn’t know or understand.
In contrast, human children begin asking questions before they can even speak full sentences. By age two, they bombard caregivers with questions that reveal curiosity, wonder, and a drive to explore. This instinct seems to be deeply embedded in human cognition. Questions are not just tools for learning. They are markers of awareness and imagination.
So why the silence from apes? Some researchers believe the ability to ask questions reflects a deeper level of self-awareness and theory of mind — the ability to understand that others have different knowledge or perspectives. It may also be tied to the human drive for storytelling, abstract reasoning, and the search for meaning.
While apes have shown incredible intelligence and emotional depth, their inability to ask questions highlights a subtle but profound divide. It reminds us that language is more than words and grammar. It is also about curiosity — and the desire to know more.
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