Strangest Prehistoric Creatures To Ever Appear on Earth. Female baboons with male companions live longer -- ScienceDaily. Numerous studies have linked social interaction to improved health and survival in humans, and new research confirms that the same is true for baboons. A long-term study of more than 200 wild female baboons from the plains of southern Kenya finds that the most sociable females -- measured by how often they engaged in social grooming relative to their peers -- live two to three years longer than their socially isolated counterparts. Socializing with males gave females an even bigger longevity boost than socializing with other females, the researchers found. A handful of previous studies in baboons, rats and dolphins suggested that same-sex friendships can improve animal health and survival, but this is one of the first studies to show that opposite-sex friendships in animals can have similar effects, said co-author Elizabeth Archie of the University of Notre Dame.
"Grooming is the baboon equivalent of gossip, or having a good conversation over a cup of coffee," Alberts said. Prehistoric Time Line, Geologic Time Scale, Photos, Facts, Maps, and More. - StumbleUpon. Becoming Human.