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Why Can't Chimps Talk? A Single Gene Mutation Holds Clues

news.discovery.com — Chimps, our nearest relative, don't talk. We do. Now scientists have pinpointed a mutation in a gene that might help explain the difference. The mutation seems to have helped humans develop speech and language. It's probably not the only gene involved, but researchers found the gene looks and acts differently in chimps and humans...

Who dugg this? Made popular Nov 13, 2009

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  • ironrex, on 11/12/2009, -0/+28Great, now we can raise genetically modified talking chimps. Then we can ask them why they ripped our friends' faces off.
  • ScottMcIntyre, on 11/12/2009, -1/+16There are a few cheeky monkeys that I know who I wish couldn't talk either :-)
  • lurcherman, on 11/12/2009, -0/+11Perhaps chimps can talk, but if they did talk they know we'd make them work. Chimps aren't that daft.
  • lurrch1, on 11/13/2009, -0/+8Because throwing feces is more fun than trying to learn a language?
  • nickem, on 11/12/2009, -0/+7There are people who can not talk who use a computer to express themselves. ummm ... what's the question again?
  • thegrantman, on 11/13/2009, -0/+5They've got nothing to say.
  • GreatDrok, on 11/13/2009, -1/+6Hold on, didn't anybody see Planet of the Apes (the good one, not that Tim Burton thing)? Don't tell me someone isn't going to try and 'fix' the gene and get Chimps talking. Then all we need is a disease that wipes out all cats and dogs, a nuclear war and we're there! Don't tell me it couldn't happen! I've seen it at the movies! Maybe this is what happens in 2012......?

    :-) by the way.
  • longbow486, on 11/13/2009, -0/+4*****... planet of the apes is going to be come real...
  • copypastry, on 11/13/2009, -0/+3and how!
  • SpiderTeets, on 11/13/2009, -1/+4because they are monkeys.
  • orbish, on 11/13/2009, -0/+2I think we should do it and see what happens.
  • mogdor, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1Now they'll be able to tell you they're about to rip your face and genitals off before they actually do it. Great to have some warning ahead of time.
  • Crimeodial, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1They communicate with each other vocally. Maybe we just haven't figured out what they're saying?
  • sdipaola, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1We tend to assume the current thing we are beginning to understand must hold all the clues to everything. Biology is multi-dimensional. So turning a gene on - or saying one gene is the cause of this or that - is being somewhat naive to the magic and complexity of the evolution of life.
  • inactive, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1The next step in the progression.
  • the8thbit, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1And that was definitely a very racist comment.
  • gkiltz, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1You mean they can't?
    So, how do you explain morning radio?
  • the8thbit, on 11/13/2009, -0/+1http://frontalot.com/index.php/
  • Propethic, on 11/13/2009, -1/+1Didn't they already figure out that chimps in fact do talk? I remember seeing something about it on discovery where people feeding monkeys noticed that the first monkeys that were fed signal to the other monkeys what the humans brought, and uttered the same sounds when brought the same food repeatedly
  • KennedyWally, on 11/13/2009, -4/+3Modify their genes ASAP. The rap game needs some new MCs.
  • DonAlfred, on 11/13/2009, -1/+0Why should they talk?
  • the8thbit, on 11/13/2009, -3/+1That was either a very cute or a very racist comment.
  • worldgate989, on 11/13/2009, -2/+0Yea and when they could talk do you think they would get offended by the n-word too?
  • youreanidiott, on 11/13/2009, -15/+2That explains Ebonics...

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