Experiment has zoo's orang-utans seeing red

By Bridie Smith, Science Editor
Updated February 26 2016 - 10:18am, first published February 2 2016 - 1:17am
Researchers are developing software to keep Melbourne Zoo's orang-utans mentally engaged and challenged.  Photo: Jason South
Researchers are developing software to keep Melbourne Zoo's orang-utans mentally engaged and challenged. Photo: Jason South
The coloured tiles on the interactive game turn black when touched by the orang-utan. Photo: Jason South
The coloured tiles on the interactive game turn black when touched by the orang-utan. Photo: Jason South
Melbourne Zoo's orang-utans are testing interactive software to keep them mentally engaged and challenged.  Photo: Jason South
Melbourne Zoo's orang-utans are testing interactive software to keep them mentally engaged and challenged. Photo: Jason South

It could have gone either way on Monday morning. The primates in the novel experiment could have gone ape – or they could have responded with indifference.