Chimps Can Talk Too
So why don’t they? – Researchers who are studying communication in animals, in order to improve their understanding of how language develops in humans, want to know: Why are we the only animals who talk?
If humans are genetically related to chimps, why did our brains develop the innate ability for language and speech while theirs did not? Scientists suspect that part of the answer to the mystery lies in a gene called FOXP2. When mutated, FOXP2 can disrupt speech and language in humans. A new study reveals major differences between how the human and chimp versions of FOXP2 work, perhaps explaining why language is unique to humans.
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