Bonobos, one of our closest relatives, have a surprising ability: they can recognize when a person doesn’t know something and try to help them figure it out. That’s the big takeaway from a fascinating new study that dives into how these clever apes think.

The study focuses on something called “theory of mind”—basically, the ability to figure out what someone else is thinking or knows. Humans use this skill all the time, whether we’re guessing a friend’s mood or deciding how to explain something. But can animals do it too? Previous research has been mixed, but this latest experiment provides some pretty convincing evidence that bonobos have a knack for it.

Here’s how the study worked. Researchers set up a simple game with three cups and placed a tasty treat under one of them. The bonobos watched as the treat was hidden, but they couldn’t get it themselves. Instead, they needed a human partner to pick the right cup and hand over the snack.

Sometimes, the human could see where the treat was hidden through a clear divider. Other times, a solid divider blocked their view, leaving them clueless about which cup to choose. The bonobos always knew where the treat was and could also tell if the human did or didn’t.

What happened next? When the human didn’t know where the treat was, the bonobos were much more likely to point to the correct cup, as if saying, “Hey, it’s over here!” But when the human already knew, the bonobos didn’t bother. This shows they not only understand what others know but also adjust their behavior to help.

The findings suggest that bonobos might have a basic form of theory of mind, something once thought to be uniquely human. It’s a reminder of just how smart these animals are—and how much they might understand about the world around them.

Next time you’re trying to figure out what someone’s thinking, just remember: bonobos might be doing the same thing!