Chimps prove that human generosity is an ancient trait. "Is selfless behavior in humans a unique evolutionary development? For years, studies designed to test prosociality, or altruism, in chimpanzees have presented them as 'reluctant altruists' that are indifferent to the welfare of their fellow chimps. But now it seems that chimps care more for their fellow apes than we realized."

Chimpanzee bottle feeds tiger cubs at Thai zoo.

Zoobotics: A new generation of animal-like robots is about to emerge from the laboratory.

Shutter-happy monkey turns photographer.

Empty trash. Buy milk. Forge history. To trace the great arcs of civilization, historians tap the humble list.

The story behind the world's oldest museum, built by a Babylonian princess 2,500 years ago.

God's Wife Edited Out of the Bible -- Almost. God's wife, Asherah, was a powerful fertility goddess, according to a theologian.

RSA Animate - The Internet in Society: Empowering or Censoring Citizens? "Does the internet actually inhibit, not encourage democracy? In this new RSA Animate, Evgeny Morozov presents an alternative take on 'cyber-utopianism' - the seductive idea that the internet plays a largely empancipatory role in global politics."

New Death Ritual Found in Himalaya—27 De-fleshed Humans. In high cliffside caves, explorers find 1,500-year-old bones.

"The Lost Thing" by Shaun Tan. [Via]

How the human penis lost its spines [Via]

Audio slideshow: Human Planet. "From the icy Arctic to Africa's dense jungles - and the mountain tops of Mongolia to the deep waters of the Pacific - the BBC series Human Planet has explored mankind's incredible relationship with nature." [Via]

Self-Doubting Monkeys Know What They Don’t Know.

To Talk With Aliens, Learn to Speak With Dolphins.

Wikipedia – an unplanned miracle. "Every day since its birth 10 years ago, Wikipedia has got better. Yet it's amazing it even exists."

The Blessing of a Good Skirt.

Madeline von Foerster’s Reliquaries (possibly nsfw).

Artist's Study Of Island Brings The Dead To Life.

Iran imprisons 'blogfather' for anti-state activities. Hossein Derakhshan, known as 'Hoder' online, given 19 years for charges of inciting anti-government feeling.

The Squirrel In Our Window.