Скачать или смотреть Tracking Monkeys in the World’s Harshest Place with Dr. Christopher Schmitt

What can monkey feces tell us about human evolution, climate change, and our health?

Dr. Christopher Schmitt, who leads the Primate Ecology and Molecular Anthropology Lab at Boston University, studies “extreme monkeys”—including critically endangered yellow-tailed woolly monkeys in the Andes and vervet monkeys in drought-prone South Africa. Using thermal drones, real-time DNA sequencing, and microbiome analysis (yes, starting with poop), his team is uncovering how these primates survive in harsh environments—and what that reveals about our own biology and resilience.
This research connects genetics, conservation, and climate science—and challenges who we see as scientists in the field.

What surprised you most about this work? Join the conversation below.

#Science #PrimateResearch #ClimateScience #Evolution

Chapters
00:00 – What Monkey Feces Reveals About Humans
02:15 – Meet Dr. Chris Schmidt
04:20 – What Are Extreme Monkeys?
06:05 – Tracking Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkeys
08:50 – Primates at High Altitude
11:30 – Vervet Monkeys and Drought Survival
14:00 – Convergent Evolution and Human Health
16:45 – Studying Gut Microbes Through Feces
19:10 – Monkey Genes and Metabolic Disease
22:40 – Drones, Genomics, and Field Biology
25:15 – Conservation and Local Partnerships
27:50 – Inclusive Fieldwork in Science
30:30 – Advice for Future Scientists
32:10 – Why This Research Matters
35:00 – Challenges of Fieldwork in Remote Areas
37:10 – Building Equitable Global Research Partnerships
39:20 – Training the Next Generation of Scientists
41:30 – What We Can Learn From Monkeys
43:20 – Final Thoughts on Evolution and Belonging

Meet a Scientist with the Museum of Science:
   • Quantum Physics Explained by Dr. Eric Cornell  

Dr. CChristopher Schmitt is an Associate Professor of Biological Anthropology at Boston University and co-director—alongside Dr. Eva Garrett—of the Sensory Morphology and Anthropological Genomics Lab (SMAGL). “My research centers on using non-human primate (NHP) models to better understand how primates adapt to extreme ecologies,” Schmidt explains, “especially as those environments are becoming more volatile with climate change.”

His primary focus is on developmental plasticity during pre-adulthood, a life stage that can be especially sensitive to ecological stressors. “We're trying to understand how robust or vulnerable primates—including humans—are to environmental variation during development,” Schmidt says. “Ultimately, that tells us something about how early experiences influence lifelong health.”

Using a combination of behavioral ecology, morphometrics, and genomics, Schmidt’s work is built around two key non-human primate models: savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.) and woolly monkeys (Lagothrix spp.).

Eva Cornman is an Education Associate at the Museum of Science and a science writer. She recently completed her master’s degree in Science Writing at MIT, where she developed her expertise in translating complex research into clear, engaging narratives. Prior to that, she studied molecular and cellular biology and managed a human gut microbiome laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Among the world's largest science centers, the Museum of Science engages millions of people each year to the wonders of science and technology through interactive exhibitions, digital programs, giant screen productions, and preK – 12 EiE® STEM curricula through the William and Charlotte Bloomberg Science Education Center. Established in 1830, the Museum is home to such iconic experiences as the Theater of Electricity, the Charles Hayden Planetarium, and the Mugar Omni Theater. Around the world, the Museum is known for digital experiences such as Mission: Mars on Roblox, and traveling exhibitions such as the Science Behind Pixar. Learn more at https://www.mos.org/

Copyright © 2025. Museum of Science. All rights reserved. This video is owned by the Museum of Science and may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used in any manner without prior written permission from the Museum of Science.