Washoe: The chimp who learnt to sign

Podcast: Witness History · BBC World Service

Opublikowano: 2026-10-14

In 1970, Washoe the chimpanzee was widely recognised as the first non-human to learn a human language. She was taught American sign language in a revolutionary experiment led by psychology professors Allen and Trixie Gardner at the University of Reno. But the project faced scepticism from some academics who argued that humans were the only animals capable of language. Dr Roger Fouts was among those recruited by the Gardners in the 1960s. He tells Jane Wilkinson how a hug from Washoe helped him get the job, despite a disastrous interview. Witness History is a...