During the first winter of World War 1, French and British soldiers were fiercely battling the Germans.
But then, on Christmas Day in 1914, they laid down their arms and came together to celebrate. In fact, they became friends for a few days.
So what happened here and where did the violence go? Violence is a trait shared by many animals, including sapients.
It allows us to protect our territory, hunt for food, or dominate others. But it can come at a great cost. Conflicts often leave physical scars and psychological damage.
Aggressive people live a more risky life, tend to have fewer social connections, and are exposed to more stress, all of which impact their well-being.
In many modern societies violence has lost its appeal. We started innovating, collaborating, and nurturing communities that gave us a sense of belonging.
So why is violence still around? Some say that humans are violent by design. Robert Sapolsky, a primatologist, developed another theory.
He spent 33 years following the same troop of wild Baboons in Kenya. Studying these monkeys that share 94% of our genetic code, he made a puzzling observation.
Baboons are primates that organize their behavior around hierarchies. Aggression is the norm.
Females and "weak" males typically stay home caring for the children, while violent males lead the troop to explore their surroundings.
