December 08, 2004

Monkeys visualizing led to language Researchers at Bethesda NIMH found that monkeys react to screams and calls by "lighting up" the part of the brain associated with image and action. The paper appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (needs costly subscription), abstract here, and it is speculated that this might explain the appearance of language in humans, or, as these scientists say, "neural substrate for representing object concepts." So, alarm calls are precursors for language. Nifty.
posted by Camilo 19 years ago
  • Good article. Thanks, Camilo.
  • Camilo: Sweet. I likes language stuff.
  • Perhaps this explains why I curse every time I hit my thumb with my hammer. An interesting link, Camilo, though I'm not really sure what to make of it yet. A straw in the wind?
  • No room for animals here, they are going the way of the black-footed ferret. No room for the passenger pigeon whose flocks used to darken the sky, nor the Carolina parrot nor the woodland buffalo shadowing whoever ventured among the uncut trees. Sad days, when humankind has no time for 'interferences' like these.
  • Wose a widdle monkey-muggins? Wose a poochy-poochy poo? Oh, ah, sorry. Continue on with your regular posting, please.