Apes Show Ability to Imagine in 'Tea Party' Experiments, and Scientists are Very Excited
New research reveals that a bonobo can engage in imaginative play, tracking imaginary juice and grapes as if they were real, demonstrating cognitive abilities previously thought to be uniquely human.
AnimalsGNGV Editorial Team4 min readLast reviewed September 28, 2026
In a fascinating study, a bonobo has demonstrated the ability to engage in imaginative play — a cognitive ability previously thought to be uniquely human. In 'tea party' experiments, a bonobo tracked imaginary juice and grapes, showing that apes can represent and act on objects that don't physically exist.
The research, which studied a single bonobo, found that it engaged in some form of pretend play. This suggests that the capacity for imagination may have evolved in our common ancestor millions of years ago.
"This is incredibly exciting because it challenges our understanding of what makes human cognition unique," said one of the lead researchers.
