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"Bonobos – What Should You Know About Human's Closest Relative Bonobos"

Vanessa Woods, a research scientist and internationally published author and journalist, will be speaking to a group of Ballston area science enthusiasts at the The Front Page as part of an ongoing series of programs sponsored by the Ballston Science and Technology Alliance (BSTA) at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. The event, which is free and open to the public, is entitled "Bonobos – What Should You Know About Human's Closest Relative Bonobos." Though no science background is required—only an interestregistration is required.

Bonobos are an extremely endangered ape (as few as 10,000 left in the wild), that share 98.7 percent of our DNA—equal to our more famous cousin, the chimp. Chimpanzees live in a violent, male-dominated society with sexual coercion, infanticide and war. Bonobos, however, are peaceful and female dominated. There is no infanticide or war, and sex is used to resolve conflict.

Special half price burgers start at 5:30 p.m. To get table service and socialize before Woods' presentation, it is advised to get there early.  The short presentation begins at 6:15 p.m. followed by questions and answers from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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Woods is part of the Hominoid Psychology Research Group, which compares the psychology of humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos. Woods won an Acclaimed Book award from the Royal Society for "BONOBO HANDSHAKE: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo." Woods explores the question: How much of us is chimpanzee, and how much is bonobo?

The BSTA is a non-profit organization established to serve those engaged in and interested in science and technology, to increase understanding of and to engage the general public in a dialogue about contemporary science and technology and its impacts on everyday life. 

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For more information call 703-228-0861. 

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