Researchers studying the behaviour of chimpanzees in the Republic of Guinea have recently made a startling discovery.
They claim that there is evidence for some kind of worship activity. A scarred tree drew the attention of German university student Laura Kehoe, who set up a remote camera to watch what chimpanzees were doing. It isn’t that the chimpanzees were found sitting in rows listening to notices being read out before passing round an offering plate, but they were seen throwing stones at a tree.
Admittedly this is not your usual Sunday morning chapel service (or, if it is, you might want to consider moving church). But the scientists were intrigued. The stones formed a kind of cairn and seemed to serve no purpose. Could it be that the chimps were building a shrine and following some kind of ritual behaviour? ‘Is this proof chimps believe in God?’ asked The Daily Mail.
