Do we need language to think?

     A few neuroscientists argue that language is primarily used for communication, rather than reasoning. Many years ago, philosophers also discussed the purpose of language. The ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, believed that language was essential for thinking. Eveline Fedorenko, a cognitive neuroscientist, used brain scans to find how the brain makes language. She did 25 years of research and found that language is not needed for reasoning. 

    In Fedorenko's perspective, reason and thought are distinct things that the brain processes separately. The biggest level of cognition can go on without the help of any words or language. Scientists have worked with populations that do not use language, like infants or animal species, and it is possible to give instructions nonverbally. Some people have aphasia, and were able to do fine on cognitive tasks that were tested on them. So, these examples show that language is not needed for reasoning. 

The highlighted area shows the regions of the brain that get activated when the brain retrieves words from memory and when it is following language-related tasks. 

References: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/19/science/brain-language-thought.html

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/you-dont-need-words-to-think/

The Gene That Made Mice Squeak Strangely

The Gene That Made Mice Squeak Strangely

Scientists have always wondered how language developed and came to be. A study conducted in February 2025 revealed that approximately 250,000 to 500,000 years ago, a gene called NOVA1 underwent an evolutionary change in the population of that time. NOVA1 is an RNA-binding protein found in the central nervous system that is crucial for function and brain development. Erich Jarvis, who is a neuroscientist and also a co-author in the study, stated that the NOVA1 gene by itself did not cause the language change, but it is also due to the mutation of numerous genes. NOVA1 first caught the eye of scientists in 2012, when it was first mentioned on a special list of genes that made proteins that were the same in most mammals but were made differently in humans. 

The biological effects of 1197v in NOVA1 were investigated by examining NOVA1, which is found in humans in mice. When they did that, the mice started to make complex noises. 

They did this to spot molecular changes in the regions of the brain, specifically regions that are related to vocal behavior and that can recognize changes in vocal patterns in baby mice and adult mice. These results found that when humans were evolving, the 1197v substitution in the NOVA1 gene protein could have played a role in the growth of neural systems that are involved in vocal communication.  

This is the mouse’s brain, and the green area is making the NOVA1 gene protein

References: 

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/science/language-genes.html

2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56579-2

NOVA1: The Mystery of the Squeaky Mouse

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. 

How Genetics Reveals When Humans First Spoke

    A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology offers compelling insights into the origins of human language, suggesting that our linguistic capabilities emerged at least 135,000 years ago. This research, led by MIT professor Shigeru Miyagawa and colleagues, utilized genomic evidence to trace the timeline of language development, proposing that language became a fundamental aspect of human society approximately 100,000 years ago.

    The study's methodology hinges on the premise that all human languages share a common origin. By examining genomic data to determine when early human populations began dispersing globally, the researchers inferred the existence of a fully developed language capacity prior to these migrations. As Miyagawa explains, the universality of language across all human populations implies that our ancestors possessed linguistic abilities before their initial divergence around 135,000 years ago.

    This genomic approach offers a fresh perspective compared to traditional methods that rely on fossil records or archaeological artifacts, which often provide limited information about cognitive functions like language. By focusing on genetic divergence, the researchers present a more precise estimate for the advent of language, aligning with the notion that linguistic capability is a defining characteristic of Homo sapiens.

NOVA1 - The Mystery of the Gene That Made Mice Squeak Strangely

The Gene That Made Mice Squeak Strangely explores the challenge of understanding the evolution of human language. Referencing this study, researchers discovered a specific gene, named NOVA1, developed significantly between 250,000 and 500,000 years ago. Scientists then took that human version of NOVA1 and put it into mice. What did they discover? The mice then made more complex sounds.

Imaging of a mouse's brain, where the cells producing NOVA1proteins are colored green.

I find the most intriguing part of this research to be that out of 20,000 protein-coding genes, almost all produced proteins that were identical in most mammals. There were only 23 of these that were identical in mammals except for human beings. That's 0.115%. NOVA1 gained attention for being one of those 23. While it certainly is important to note, it's not a single gene that allowed us to develop the language abilities we have now, but many mutations over millions of years.

What is also fascinating about the NOVA1 gene is mammalian life appears dependent on its presence. A mouse without it is not viable, but there was little to show it played any significant role in our evolution.