The Chimp Who Wouldn't Give Back a Crystal

Crystals hold a special fascination for some people. We collect, wear, and treasure them. Buy why?

Is it the shape of a crystal? The sparkle? An unproven belief in a crystal's healing powers?

Researchers in Spain, curious about the source of our obsession, wondered if chimpanzees could also exhibit what they called “crystal allure”—an attraction to the unique properties of crystals.

A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology on March 3 contains the detailed findings.

The researchers drew upon archaeological research suggesting that hominins, our upright-walking ancestors, initially collected crystals without using them for tools or any functional purpose.

They set up experiments with two groups of chimpanzees living in a rescue center near Madrid [approved by an internal joint ethics committee of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)].

In their first experiment, researchers displayed two big rocks on pedestals: a foot-tall multifaceted crystal, and a sandstone rock of about the same size. The chimps went for the crystal.

In their second experiment, researchers laid out piles of pebbles in a garden, scattering a few small crystals throughout. One chimp immediately plucked out the crystal, brought it close to his eye, and inspected it. Another chimp sorted out the small crystals and put them in her mouth.

According to the study, the large crystal was so prized: "when the team of caretakers tried to retrieve the crystal, it took hours to exchange it for valuable “gifts” (i.e., favored food items—bananas and yogurt—which are known from daily observations to be highly appreciated by the chimpanzees)." The researchers' conclusion: the chimpanzees ascribed a lot of value to the crystals.

So, why were chimps drawn to the crystals?

No one knows for sure. But during the study, researchers found that transparency and geometric shape were the two attractors guiding chimpanzees.

Further study is needed due to the small sample size, but crystals are Euclidean objects (geometric figures) that contrast with the organic norms familiar to the chimps' environment. The lead researcher even speculated that crystals could have aided humans in exploring abstract thinking and ultimately inventing geometry. Not exactly a "straight line," but interesting to think about.

🎁 As a gift to my readers, I'm also including this link to a clever NYT piece on the crystal-chimp study, which includes a video clip of a chimp named Toti interacting with a crystal.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever felt drawn to a crystal without understanding why? Do you keep any crystal objects or jewelry, and is there a story about who gave these items to you? Reply to this email and share your experience with me.

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Thank you for reading!