#598: Primatologist Isabel Behncke on Play, Sexual Selection, and Lessons from Following Bonobos for 3,000 Kilometers in the Jungles of Congo

Brought to you by LMNT electrolyte supplement, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and Headspace easy-to-use app with guided meditations . Isabel Behncke ( @IsabelBehncke ) is a field primatologist and applied evolutionary ethologist who studies social behavior in animals (including humans) to understand our urgent challenges with each other and the planet. Isabel grew up at the foothills of the Andes mountains in Chile, where she developed a life-long love for nature and wildness as well as culture and the arts. An explorer-scientist, she is the first South American to follow great apes in the wild in Africa. She walked more than 3,000 km (~1864 miles) in the jungles of Congo for her field research observing the social lives of wild bonobo apes, who, together with chimpanzees, are our closest living relatives. Isabel documented how bonobos play freely in nature and has extended this research to study how human apes play—at Burning Man, other festivals, and in everyday life. Isabel has observed how play is at the root of creativity, social bonding, and healthy development, findings that have relevance in education, innovation, complex risk assessments, and freedom. Isabel holds a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Nature Conservation, both from University College London, an MPhil in Human Evolution from Cambridge University, and a PhD in Evolutionary Anthropology from Oxford University. She has won several distinctions for her public communication and knowledge integration, which range in formats from TED, WIRED , the UN, BBC, and Nat Geo to rural schools in Patagonia and traveling buses of schoolchildren in Congo. She is a senior fellow of the Gruter Institute, a TED fellow, and currently advises the Chilean government, working on long-term strategies in science, technology, innovation, and knowledge for Chile’s president. She can be found in Chile and New York City. Please enjoy! This episode is brought to you by LMNT ! What is LMNT? It’s a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte drink mix . I’ve stocked up on boxes and boxes of this and usually use it 1–2 times per day. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or Paleo diet. If you are on a low-carb diet or fasting, electrolytes play a key role in relieving hunger, cramps, headaches, tiredness, and dizziness. LMNT came up with a very special offer for you, my dear listeners. LMNT came up with a very special offer for you, my dear listeners. For a limited time, you can get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. This special offer is available here: DrinkLMNT.com/Tim . * This episode is also brought to you by Headspace ! Headspace is your daily dose of mindfulness in the form of guided meditations in an easy-to-use app . Whatever the situation, Headspace can help you feel better. Overwhelmed? Headspace has a 3-minute SOS meditation for you. Need some help falling asleep? Headspace has wind-down sessions their members swear by. And for parents, Headspace even has morning meditations you can do with your kids. Headspace’s approach to mindfulness can reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus, and increase your overall sense of well-being. Go to Headspace.com/Tim for a FREE one-month trial with access to Headspace ’s full library of meditations for every situation. * This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens . I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens , my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase —a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product. * [08:11] Baco and Jiro [13:05] What is an applied evolutionary ethologist? [15:43] Lorenz vs. Skinner [18:23] The brilliance of consilience [19:11] Humboldt vs. Darwin and the origins of evolutionary thinking [29:42] Recent revolutionary thoughts about evolution [36:16] Complexity and niche construction [41:33] What’s more fun: a barrel of chimpanzees or a barrel of bonobos? [49:19] Chimpanzee geography [59:29] Magnificent bonobos [1:02:11] Female mammal problems and solutions [1:09:17] Sexual dimorphism [1:12:18] Avoiding naturalistic fallacies [1:13:52] How accurate is it to call the Congo the Heart of Darkness? [1:18:24] Why are the Japanese so interested in animal behavior? [1:21:23] Potato-washing monkeys [1:23:28] Why do breakthroughs seem to come in clusters? [1:28:29] Animals at play: the adaptive joker hypothesis [1:38:59] The overlap between flow states and play [1:41:39] What the natural world can teach humans about optimizing play [1:43:43] The everlasting tango between energy and time [1:47:19] Post-pandemic play [1:50:09] How much do we understand about the way animals communicate? [2:03:05] The drunken monkey hypothesis [2:04:07] Parting thoughts * For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show , please visit tim.blog/podcast . For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show , please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter ( 5-Bullet Friday ) at tim.blog/friday . For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts . Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books . 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