Gossiping like a load of monkeys?
Anthropologists at the Oxford Social Issues Research centre have concluded that the growth in usage of mobile phones has brought humans even closer to the behaviour of monkeys.
The study, which was conducted into the changing behavioural patterns of humans since the rise of the mobile phone. The ability to "gossip on the go" is very similar to the grooming rituals which primates use to socialise. Interestingly, this new trend for gossip means that we produce more of the natural chemicals which boost the immune system and relieve stress.
10th Jan 2002