Jane Goodall, Renowned Primatologist, Dies at 91, Transforming Understanding of Chimpanzees

Jane Goodall, who passed away in 2025, was a pioneering primatologist whose decades-long study of chimpanzees in Tanzania revolutionized our understanding of human evolution and animal behavior. Her groundbreaking observation in 1960 that chimpanzees use tools challenged the belief that only humans possessed this ability, reshaping science's view of the natural world. Goodall's immersive approach, including living among chimpanzees and naming them, revealed complex social behaviors such as empathy, grief, cooperation, and culture, blurring distinctions between humans and other primates. Despite lacking formal scientific training and facing skepticism, she tirelessly advocated for conservation and educated the world about the urgent extinction crisis facing animals. Researchers and scientists continue to honor her legacy as a serene and passionate force who expanded knowledge in fields ranging from ethology to behavioral economics. Her life's work has left an indelible impact on both science and animal welfare advocacy.