The language gene, known as NOVA1, has two main variations, one apparent in most mammals and one specific to humans, both of which underwent a change many years ago. When the gene appeared on a list of evolutionary protein-coding genes in 2012, Dr. Robert Darnell’s interest was sparked, as he is the scientist who discovered the gene in 1993. Another scientist named Dr. Siepel found that the original NOVA1 gene changed after our human ancestors parted ways from Neanderthals and Denisovans, leaving only six individuals as known carriers of the original gene.
Dr. Darnell and an expert on animal sounds, Dr. Jarvis, found that when inputting the human version of the gene into mice, they made unique sounds and produced squeaks that parallel humans. Similar results were shown when inserting another language gene into mice called FOXP2, which underwent a change similar to NOVA1. Dr. Jarvis has interpreted these results to hypothesize that Neanderthals and Denisovans could talk and communicate because of the gene FOXP2. Testing this hypothesis will lead to more engineering of mice with these genetic mutations, which may give rise to even more intricate sounds.
I find the differences in how language is viewed in mice compared to humans fascinating. We share these language genes, yet have different sounds, while mice's squeak humans can speak various languages and sounds.
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