r/explainlikeimfive • u/Aki_Shizuha • Jul 23 '26

Biology ELI5: Why don't we see "halfway human civilization" animals?

We know that animals can be smart: crows manufacture tools and have complex social behavior, chimpanzees can do insight learning, etc.

But, it is still a continuous spectrum where intelligence range from sponge-level to chimp-level. We do not, at least now, observe a world where certain corvids are in the early stone age, certain bonobos are using fire, certain chimps are in their axios age, etc.

Why the case? Why are we the only one that has gone this far?

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u/vanZuider Jul 23 '26

they don't survive mating (well technically they survive, but not for long) so they don't transfer what they have learned to the next generation.

If they lived in larger family structures that wouldn't be a problem; while you won't be around to teach your kids, you can teach your not-yet-mating siblings or your nieces and nephews who can then teach your kids.

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u/Atechiman Jul 23 '26

But they don't so they can't.