Chimpanzees Join Humans and Whales in Experiencing Menopause: Study

A new study challenges the notion that menopause is unique to humans, as researchers have discovered evidence of menopause in chimpanzees. The study, conducted in Uganda's Ngogo community of chimpanzees, observed older female chimps who were not having more babies and measured hormone levels in their urine. The findings suggest that menopause may have evolved in chimpanzees and could have played a role in the evolution of humans. The Grandmother Hypothesis, which suggests that menopause allows older females to focus on helping raise their grandchildren, may not fully explain the evolution of menopause in chimpanzees. Further research is needed to understand the evolutionary significance of menopause in different species.