I’ve been a bit of a slave to trends recently. Everybody else has a Facebook page, so I guess I need one too–even if I don’t quite know what to do with it. Myspace? Uh, okay…
As with so many things in the human experience, great or small, we are not quite alone when it comes to trend-following–as I explain in my latest column for Forbes. Check it out.
Per usual, here are some of the sources I used for the piece:
Transmission of multiple traditions within and between chimpanzee groups [free pdf]
The evolution of animal “cultures” and social intelligence
Spread of arbitrary conventions among chimpanzees: a controlled experiment [Free pdf]
And just to make clear it’s not just other apes who also follow trends…
Flower choice copying in bumblebees
Update, 12:30 pm: In response to a commenter, yes, I want Facebook friends. So, poke.
[Photo: JL on Flickr under Creative Commons license]
Originally published August 31, 2007. Copyright 2007 Carl Zimmer.