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It sounds like the premise¹ for a bad police drama, maybe NYPD Chimp². But scientists have found that high-ranking chimpanzees can act like cops: intervening to settle public disputes. The study appears in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.

In any community, conflicts inevitably⁴ arise. That’s why we humans have law enforcement agencies, the military and impartial⁵ arbitrators like Jerry Springer. But how does our closest kin³ in the animal kingdom handle social unrest?

A team of anthropologists spent nearly 600 hours observing the social interactions of chimps⁶ at a Swiss zoo. And they saw the alpha male or his beta sidekick break up 69 different scuffles by running into the fray⁷ or getting up in the face of the warring parties, which were sometimes males but often females.

This kind of peacekeeping is not peculiar⁸ to Swiss apes. Chimps in an English zoo, and even in the wild, exhibit similar policing. And in some cases it’s a female that’s the top cop.

Such social intercession may have evolved to help stabilize⁹ the community, which ultimately benefits all its members. Including Chimpsky and Hutch.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American, I'm Karen Hopkin

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1 premise
n.前提；v.提论，预述
参考例句：
Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。 We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

2 chimp
n.黑猩猩
参考例句：
In fact,the color of gorilla and chimp are light-color.其实大猩猩和黑猩猩的肤色是较为浅的。 The chimp is the champ.猩猩是冠军。

3 kin
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
He comes of good kin.他出身好。 She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

4 inevitably
adv.不可避免地；必然发生地
参考例句：
In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。 Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

5 impartial
adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的
参考例句：
He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。 Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

6 chimps
（非洲）黑猩猩( chimp的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Chimps are too scarce, and too nearly human, to be routinely slaughtered for spare parts. 黑猩猩又太少，也太接近于人类，不可以作为人器官备用件说杀就杀。来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命 And as nonprimates, they provoke fewer ethical and safety-related concerns than chimps or baboons. 而且作为非灵长类，就不会产生像用黑猩猩或狒狒那样的伦理和安全方面的顾虑。来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命

7 fray
v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗
参考例句：
Why should you get involved in their fray?你为什么要介入他们的争吵呢？ Tempers began to fray in the hot weather.大热天脾气烦燥。

8 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

9 stabilize
vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定
参考例句：
They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。 His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。