language
A strange link between grizzly bear DNA and human language
A genetic study of British Columbia grizzly bears finds a weird link to local human languages.
Yeet! As society changes, the dictionary gets weirder
English is a dynamic language, and this summer's new additions to dictionary.com tell us a lot about how we're living.
30 grunts and sounds that may have been the first language
Linguists discover 30 sounds that may have allowed communication before words existed.
Whales warned each other about hunters in the 19th century
Digitized logbooks from the 1800s reveal a steep decline in strike rate for whalers.
Is computer code a language or math? MIT study uses brain scans for answers
How our brains interpret computer code could impact how we teach it.
Researchers read centuries-old sealed letter without ever opening it
The key? A computational flattening algorithm.
Neanderthals could produce and hear human speech, new study finds
Their ear structures were not that different from ours.
Has political correctness gone too far?
The debate over whether or not there is a place for political correctness in modern society is not always black and white.
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Study: Language (not geography) major force behind India’s gene flow
The study found that people who spoke the same language tended to be more closely related despite living far apart.
To the brain, reading computer code is not the same as reading language
Reading code activates a general-purpose brain network, but not language-processing centers.
5 facts about positive affect for 2021
After the unrelenting negativity of 2020, we may need a refresher on the benefits of a positive affect.
Adult language-learning changes how the brain’s hemispheres function
It's never too late to learn a new language. Just don't count on speaking French like a Parisian.
Brain study finds that humans are born wired for reading letters and words
The area of the brain that recognizes letters and words is ready for action right from the start.
Liberal and conservative brains react to charged words differently
Partisanship can now be seen in brain scans.
How music therapy benefits the autistic brain
While the benefits of music therapy are well known, more in-depth research explores how music benefits children with autism.
Study: Names change how an infant’s memory encodes objects
A new study shows that naming conventions will change how infants represent objects in their memories.
Rutgers University adjusts grammar rules in solidarity with Black Lives Matter
The English Department is instituting a series of reforms that cuts across the entire university.
How to win a negotiation
Getting what you want often requires choosing the right strategy.
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5 things that happen to your brain when you learn a new language
Never has the bar to entry been so low and the recognized benefits so high.
How brothers become strangers, and vice versa
Two remarkable etymological maps show twin forces at work throughout human history.
Space travel could create language unintelligible to people on Earth
A new study looks at what would happen to human language on a long journey to other star systems.
Human brains remember certain words more easily than others
A study of the manner in which memory works turns up a surprising thing.
How to do archaeology with place names
Mapping the frequency of common toponyms opens window on Britain's 'deep history'.
Education vs. learning: How semantics can trigger a mind shift
The word "learning" opens up space for more people, places, and ideas.
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Do you prefer subs or dubs? Here’s a map for that.
Europe is divided on whether films should have subtitles or different audio tracks.
This is how you overcome a language barrier
Don't worry about grammar rules at first. They'll only trip you up.
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Scientists are studying your Twitter slang to help AI
Mathematicians studied 100 billion tweets to help computer algorithms better understand our colloquial digital communication.
Learn a new language—super fast. Here’s how.
According to a man that knows more than 20 languages, the key is to start in the middle.
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Board and card games that will boost your vocabulary
A larger vocabulary can be a confidence booster for children and make adults better communicators.