Science News
Headlines
. Why are humans able to speak & learn complex languages
. New fossil found that walked upright like humans
. Humpback whales are trying to send messages to humans 
. Yala Glacier declared dead

Read more about some of these below.

. How did humans develop the ability to speak and create languages? 

Every species makes sounds, but humans are unique because they can speak in complex languages and learn multiple languages, too. Scientists in the US now propose that one particular protein in the gene NOVA1 could be responsible for homo sapiens being able to communicate like they do.
They noticed that the NOVA1 gene is present in all mammals and is useful for neural development. But unlike other mammals and even ancient humans, the NOVA1 gene in modern humans has one different protein variant, called the I197V.
NOVA1 (Neuro-Oncological Ventral Antigen 1) is a critically important gene that regulates RNA binding in the developing brain. This gene acts like a conductor in an orchestra, helping coordinate how neurons develop and connect with each other. It’s particularly active during early brain development, influencing how nerve cells mature and form networks.
What makes NOVA1 especially interesting is a specific mutation found only in humans. This mutation, called I197V, involves a single amino acid change that occurred after humans diverged from our ancient cousins like Neanderthals and Denisovans. In genetic terms, this is remarkable—a tiny change that potentially contributed to massive differences in communication abilities.
The research team, led by neuroscientist Gül Dölen, used CRISPR gene-editing technology to replace the mouse version of NOVA1 with the human variant. This precise genetic engineering allowed them to create mice with the exact mutation that makes human NOVA1 different from other primates.
After successfully creating these “humanized” mice, the researchers began recording and analyzing their vocalizations. Mice naturally communicate through ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs)—squeaks at frequencies too high for humans to hear without special equipment.
The results were striking: Mouse pups with the human NOVA1 variant made calls with higher pitched frequencies. Adult male mice produced more complex call structures during courtship behaviors. The vocalization patterns showed greater variety and structural organization.
Interestingly, while the calls were more complex, they weren’t necessarily more effective at attracting attention from other mice. This suggests that the changes were significant but didn’t automatically confer communication advantages in the mouse context—a fascinating parallel to how evolutionary changes often work.
The researchers also observed physical changes in the brain structures of the modified mice, particularly in regions associated with vocal learning and production. This provided physical evidence that NOVA1 influences not just vocalization but the actual neural circuits involved in producing sounds.
The discovery that Neanderthals had the ancestral version of NOVA1, not the human-specific variant, provides intriguing insights about our ancient relatives’ communication abilities. This genetic difference suggests that while Neanderthals likely had some form of communication, it may have been fundamentally different from modern human speech.
This contrasts with another famous “language gene” called FOXP2. Both humans and Neanderthals shared the same version of FOXP2, which is linked to speech and language development. The different pattern with NOVA1 suggests a more complex picture of language evolution, where multiple genes contribute to our unique abilities.
The human I197V mutation in NOVA1 appears to have emerged specifically in the Homo sapiens lineage after our divergence from Neanderthals around 500,000-600,000 years ago. This timing coincides with periods of rapid cultural and technological development in our ancestors, suggesting possible connections between language evolution and other human innovations.
The NOVA1 experiment raises important ethical questions about genetic modification and animal research. While the study provides valuable scientific insights, it reminds us of the need for careful consideration of research ethics and animal welfare in scientific advancement.
Beyond the laboratory, this research touches on fundamental questions about human identity. What makes us human? How much of our uniqueness comes from our genes versus our cultural experiences? The NOVA1 study suggests that while genetic factors made language possible, the complex interplay between biology, environment, and culture shaped human communication into what it is today.

. New fossil found that walked upright like humans
For decades, scientists have been puzzled by Paranthropus robustus, a mysterious hominin (human-like) species from two million years ago. Recently a study has made a new and startling find at Swartkrans Cave in South Africa. The fossil remains of a small Paranthropus robustus, including a hip, thigh, and shin bone, have revealed that this ancient species wasn’t just another ape-like creature. They actually walked upright, just like humans!
Such species are called bipedal walkers. Despite their tiny size, just barely over 3 feet tall, yet they were walking upright – a crucial milestone in the evolution of humankind.
The individual fossil found is believed to be a young female, measuring about 1 metre tall and weighing only 27 kg – smaller than other early hominins like Australopithecus afarensis and Homo floresiensis, both of which are larger in comparison.
What’s even more interesting is the danger these ancient species faced. The fossils show signs of damage from predators like leopards, leaving tooth marks and chewed bones. But it wasn’t helpless – scientists found indications that these little hominins used tools.
Researchers are now diving deeper into their behaviour, social structure, and tool use, trying to piece together a story that’s more complex than we ever imagined.

. Humpback whales are trying to send messages to humans 
Humpback whales have been documented for the first time creating large bubble rings in water during friendly interactions with humans, suggesting they could be trying to communicate with us.
These whales are known to use bubbles to hunt prey and when competing to escort females. They don’t just produce these rings but also manipulate them in a variety of ways, actively controlling their size and depth. The bubble rings are described by researchers as spinning, air-infused vortices that look like “giant smoke rings” about a metre in diameter.
The whales often exhibit inquisitive, friendly behaviour towards boats and human swimmers. "We've now located a dozen whales from populations around the world, the majority of which have voluntarily approached boats and swimmers blowing bubble rings during these episodes of curious behaviour,” said Jodi Frediani, another author of the study,
In the study, researchers analysed 12 humpback whale bubble ring production incidents, totalling 39 rings made by 11 individuals. They categorised the whales into known age classes: yearling; 4-6 years old subadult; and adult.
In many of these instances, during ring release, the whales were motionless or slowly idling forward “with blowholes held upright and the body mostly in the horizontal position”. “None of the other ten episodes were associated with feeding behaviour nor were prey organisms noted within rings,” the researchers noted. In a majority of the observed incidents the ring blowing whale was alone, suggesting that the intended recipient wasn’t another whale.
“More research is needed to systematically study bubble ring production and ascertain under what conditions bubble rings are consistently produced,” they said.

. Yala Glacier declared dead
Climate change is impacting our seas, our rivers, and our mountains. In particular, because of global warming, glaciers (which are sheets of ice) on the Himalayan ranges are melting and dying into puddles of water.
On May 12, 2025, the rapidly retreating Yala Glacier in Nepal’s Langtang Valley was officially declared to be dying, and a memorial plaque put in place at a height of 5000 m. The ceremony brought together scientists, monks, villagers, and government officials, in a rare combination of science and prayer. While Buddhist monks prayed over it, glaciologists (scientists who study glaciers) made speeches to the listening audience. At the site are photographs marking the retreat of the glacier from 1974 to the present. It is expected to vanish by 2040. It is especially shocking since this was glacier long used to train Nepal’s glaciologists due to its accessibility.
Its memorial plaques are carved into local Nepali granite and bear inscriptions in English, Nepali and the Tibetan language. The text includes a reading of current atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and the words: “We know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it,” by the Iceland poet and environmentalist Andri Snaer Magnason.
This is the third global glacier to bear Magnason’s climate message, following memorials for Iceland’s OK Glacier in 2019 and Mexico’s Ayoloco Glacier in 2021.
Sources: https://torontostarts.com, Indian Defence Review.com, Yahoo News, Down to Earth Magazine