If your idea of a hot hookup is tiptoeing down a basement staircase while the guy you just went for drinks with tells you in an urgent, husky whisper, "Shh, my mom's asleep," you're probably a muriqui, a New World species of matriarchal monkeys where mother-son proximity is the biggest turn on there is.

"Macaco Gordo" — or "The Fat Monkey" in English — is a 45-foot long, florescent-colored monkey that resides in the middle of a park in Sao Paolo, Brazil. This monkey statue is different, though, because he isn't made from bronze, stone, or even plaster of paris — he's made from 10,000 pairs of flip flops. The…

Scientists sure do love their stressed-out baby animals. Yesterday we learned about the dangers of marrying a stressed zebra finch — and today a study reveals that baby monkeys who endure scary separations from their moms can feel the ill effects throughout life.

A set of Bornean orangutan twins were born Friday at the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens. Warning: It's hard to watch this without making high-pitched little noises.

First we heard about the Indonesian macaque who stole a camera and then snapped photos of himself. Now another primate is intrigued by technology! These Emperor Tamarins became entranced by the iPod Touch a zoo-goer used to film the mustachioed critters at the San Francisco Zoo.

In this week's compilation of pop culture crap, 30 Rock does Real Housewives, American Idol takes censorship too far, and Marlee Matlin teaches us about attitude.

In a story that's sure to inspire confidence in security procedures, last week a woman went into a Virginia courthouse with a tiny monkey stuffed in her shirt and no one noticed. Later while filling out paperwork, she referred to her daughter and when an office worker asked where the girl was, she pulled the monkey,…

Yesterday, Kathy Griffin showed up in our office to serve as Gawker's celebrity intern. You sent in some questions for her — above, I asked her three of our favorites.

Researchers have discovered that Brazil's Amazonian forests are populated by big cats - including margay, jaguars, and pumas — imitate the calls primate prey. It's the first time wild cats in the Americas have been observed being so tricky.

Li Chun, a Chinese farmer, saved a monkey's life by amputating its injured arm and leg. Now it's paying him back by copying everything he does, including cracking all his eggs, and killing his chickens after seeing Chun slaughter one.

Russian scientists have revealed plans to send a monkey to Mars along with a robot caretaker. They considered sending Cosmonauts, but the 18-month trip may involve exposure to dangerous cosmic rays so they're sending an ape instead. [Telegraph]

Contemporary thinking has it that certain genes doom children to higher risk of depression, ADHD, and other difficulties. But in the right environment, these same genes may actually help kids thrive.

• Mental Floss reveals how Peanuts producers made that weird sound that plays when adults are talking on the Charles Schultz cartoons. The secret involves a toilet plunger. •