A new study published on Tuesday has shed light on how human language evolved, suggesting that a gene known as NOVA1 played a crucial role. Researchers found that the NOVA1 gene underwent significant changes between 250,000 and 500,000 years ago, allowing it to facilitate more complex sounds in our ancestors. However, experts caution that NOVA1 alone did not give rise to human language.
The study, conducted by neuroscientists at Rockefeller University, involved engineering mice with the human version of NOVA1. The results showed that these mice produced 200 proteins that were absent in other mammals, many of which play a role in sound production. This led researchers to speculate that NOVA1 may have contributed to the evolution of complex sounds in human language.
Other genes, such as FOXP2, also underwent significant changes around the same time and are believed to have played a role in the development of modern human brain regions responsible for complex sounds. While it’s unclear how these genes interacted with each other, researchers hope to engineer mice with mutations in NOVA1 and FOXP2 to better understand the origins of human language.
The discovery has significant implications for our understanding of human evolution and the emergence of language. Researchers now aim to find individuals carrying a rare variant of the NOVA1 gene, which may provide insights into the genetic basis of speech abilities.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/science/language-genes.html