Researchers who studied ape calls say they’ve discovered a key feature of human language, challenging long-held assumptions about its origins. According to the study published in Science, apes can combine sounds to create new meanings, which may date back millions of years. Primatologist Federica Amici notes that differences between humans and other primates in communication are not as clear-cut as previously thought, pushing back the timeline for human language development.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/science/communication-language-bonobos.html