Instant Genius How humans learned to speak and why
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Aug 3, 2025 In this discussion, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman, author of 'The Origin of Language – How We Learned to Speak and Why,' explores how our need to care for helpless infants propelled the evolution of complex language. She delves into the anatomical shifts that occurred as humans adapted to walking upright, the role of larger brains in communication, and the cooperative parenting that emerged. Beekman also touches on how language acquisition in children reflects our innate abilities and speculates on the future of a global language in an increasingly interconnected world.
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Language's Origins in Childcare
- Human language evolved primarily due to the need to care for helpless, large-brained infants born prematurely.
- This led to complex communication for babies to manipulate caregivers and adults to seek help.
Bipedalism and Group Survival
- Ancestors came down from trees and adapted to walking on two legs despite losing some primal survival traits.
- They survived by forming family groups to protect against predators in Africa.
Genetic Fluke Enlarged Human Brain
- A repaired and duplicated gene allowed human brains to grow exceptionally large compared to other species.
- Our malleable skulls adapted, resulting in our bulbous head shape especially noticeable in babies.
