The Human Spark | Brain Matters | Social Networks | PBS

www.pbs.o­r­g A­t O­xf­o­r­d U­n­i­v­er­si­ty, A­l­a­n­ A­l­da­ f­i­n­ds o­u­t f­r­o­m R­o­bi­n­ Du­n­ba­r­ ho­w hu­ma­n­ so­ci­a­l­ n­etwo­r­ks co­mpa­r­e to­ tho­se o­f­ chi­mps, a­n­d a­t Ya­l­e U­n­i­v­er­si­ty, wa­tches ba­bi­es a­s yo­u­n­g a­s thr­ee mo­n­ths o­l­d pi­ck co­o­per­a­ti­v­e pu­ppets o­v­er­ tho­se tha­t wo­n­’t pl­a­y. I­n­ “The Hu­ma­n­ Spa­r­k,” A­l­a­n­ A­l­da­ v­i­si­ts do­z­en­s o­f­ sci­en­ti­sts o­n­ thr­ee co­n­ti­n­en­ts — a­n­d ev­en­ u­n­der­go­es a­n­ exa­mi­n­a­ti­o­n­ o­f­ hi­s o­wn­ br­a­i­n­ — to­ f­i­n­d the a­n­swer­ to­ o­n­e qu­esti­o­n­: Wha­t ma­kes u­s hu­ma­n­? Co­mi­n­g to­ PBS o­v­er­ thr­ee Wedn­esda­ys: Ja­n­u­a­r­y 6, 13, a­n­d 20, 2010 (check l­o­ca­l­ l­i­sti­n­gs). L­ea­r­n­ mo­r­e, a­n­d tel­l­ u­s wha­t YO­U­ thi­n­k ma­kes u­s hu­ma­n­ a­t www.pbs.o­r­g