If language is what makes us human, what does it mean now that large language models have gained “metalinguistic” abilities?

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You see a cat chasing a mouse. You probably don’t realize it, but ...

At the turn of the 20th century, a famous horse named Clever Hans toured Germany. The horse stunned crowds as his trainer demonstrated the animal's alleged ability to understand German, tell time and ...

People like to talk. We're unique in the animal kingdom in terms of how much we communicate and the kinds of information we discuss. Scientists are trying to understand how this special trait evolved ...

Language has long been considered a uniquely human trait, with features that mark it out as distinct from the communication of all other species. However, research published in Science has uncovered ...

Humans' unique language capacity was present at least 135,000 years ago, according to a survey of genomic evidence. As such, language might have entered social use 100,000 years ago. It is a deep ...

A new study shows that giving mice the human version of a gene changes their squeak, suggesting some of the genetic underpinnings of language. People like to talk. We're unique in the animal kingdom ...

Putting the uniquely human version of a certain gene into mice changed the way that those animals vocalized to each other, suggesting that this gene may play a role in speech and language. Mice make a ...