Scientists have long studied how human speech evolved, focusing on the biological and genetic factors that made language possible. A recent study in Nature Communications has identified a unique genetic variant that may have played a key role in the development of spoken language. Researchers found that a protein called NOVA1, which exists only in modern humans, could be linked to our ability to communicate. To test this, scientists at Rockefeller University in New York used CRISPR gene-editing technology to replace the NOVA1 protein in mice with its human-specific version. The altered mice produced different vocal sounds, supporting the idea that this gene may have contributed to the advanced communication skills of Homo sapiens.

Speech has given humans a major evolutionary advantage by allowing knowledge sharing, teamwork, and social bonds. It may have even set modern humans apart from extinct relatives like Neanderthals and Denisovans. While earlier studies linked the FOXP2 gene to language, researchers later found that Neanderthals also had this gene, meaning it was not unique to humans. However, the NOVA1 variant is absent in other hominins, suggesting it played a crucial role in human speech. Experts, like Dr. Liza Finestack from the University of Minnesota, highlight how these findings could help in understanding speech disorders and developing new treatments in the future.