We may finally have an explanation for why only humans can speak – BGR
Sign up for our daily newsletterBGR’s team sends an AM subscriber-only newsletter with the top tech & entertainment stories at 9AM ET. Sign up to read it.By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and
have reviewed the Privacy Notice.
If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.For centuries, scientists have wondered what makes human speech unique. Why can we hold conversations while our closest relatives, like Neanderthals, could not? New research may have uncovered a key piece of the puzzle—a tiny genetic change that exists in modern humans but not in our extinct relatives.New research centers on a brain protein called NOVA1, which plays a crucial role in how nerve cells process information. Researchers at The Rockefeller University have discovered that a single genetic mutation in NOVA1 may have influenced the development of spoken language, setting early humans apart from other species.
See, NOVA1 acts like a conductor in the brain, controlling how other genes are expressed in nerve cells. The human version of this gene differs from that found in Neanderthals, Denisovans, and other animals by just one tiny amino acid change. However, that slight difference appears to be the key that unlocked human speech.To test its effects, scientists genetically engineered mice to carry the human version of NOVA1. While the mice developed normally, their vocalizations changed. Baby mice with the human gene produced different cries when separated from their mothers, and adult males altered their ultrasonic mating calls, creating unique sound patterns.Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and have reviewed the Privacy Notice.These findings suggest that NOVA1 plays a vital role in how vocal behaviors are formed and processed in the brain, offering a potential genetic explanation for why only humans developed complex speech. Of course, it isn’t the full puzzle to why human speech is so unique, but it does provide a foundation to build off.
When researchers further examined the DNA of Neanderthals and Denisovans, they found that these ancient humans had the same version of NOVA1 as other animals, which means they lacked the mutation found in modern humans.These findings suggest that somewhere in Africa, early modern humans developed this mutation, which then spread rapidly across populations, enabling the foundation of human speech. The fact that it became nearly universal hints that it provided enough of an evolutionary advantage to become a staple of the human genome.Josh Hawkins has been writing for over a decade, covering science, gaming, and tech culture. He also is a top-rated product reviewer with experience in extensively researched product comparisons, headphones, and gaming devices.Whenever he isn’t busy writing about tech or gadgets, he can usually be found enjoying a new world in a video game, or tinkering with something on his computer.Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and have reviewed the Privacy Notice.BGR’s audience craves our industry-leading insights on the latest in tech and entertainment, as well as our authoritative and expansive reviews.We guide our loyal readers to some of the best products, latest trends, and most engaging stories with non-stop coverage, available across all major news platforms.Founded in 2006Over 2 billion visitors100K+ articles publishedMillions of readers helped
Honest news coverage, reviews, and opinions since 2006.-
Jonathan S. Geller, FounderBGR is a part of Penske Media Corporation.
© 2024 BGR Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Source: https://bgr.com/science/we-may-finally-have-an-explanation-for-why-only-humans-can-speak/
