News in Brief Genetics

Ancient hookups gave chimps a smidge of bonobo DNA

Genetic analysis traces previously unknown primate hybridization

chimpanzee and bonobo

KISSING COUSINS Chimpanzees (left) and bonobos (right) interbred in the past. Genetic evidence of that mixing was found in a new study.

Kevin Langergraber; Pierre Fidenci/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5)

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

Like lipstick on a collar, new DNA evidence is pointing to ancient affairs between bonobos and chimpanzees.