A new study published in Current Biology found that chimpanzees drum on tree roots with a steady rhythm. This drumming may help them communicate over long distances in the forest. The study was done in African rainforests, where scientists watched wild chimpanzees hitting large tree roots. These roots made deep sounds that could travel more than a kilometer through thick forest. Experts believe the drumming helps chimpanzees send messages to others, like where they are or which way they are going. Scientists from the University of St Andrews and CNRS in France said each chimpanzee has its own beat pattern, like a personal signal. After observing 371 drumming cases, the researchers saw that chimpanzees from different regions had different styles. Western chimpanzees used steady rhythms, while eastern chimpanzees used a mix of short and long beats.

Researchers said this rhythmic behavior may have started before modern humans existed. They believe it could be part of how early humans began to communicate. Chimpanzees also choose certain tree roots for their sound, which shows they are careful and intentional. These results suggest that chimpanzees are more intelligent than people once thought. In another study, chimpanzees were seen combining different calls to share more complex messages. These findings show that chimpanzee communication is rich, detailed, and similar to early human language.