12 June 2023
Language isolates, like Chimané from Bolivia, are unrelated to any other known tongue. Studying them is revealing how languages evolve and influence our perception of the world around us
3 August 2022
Much of the world’s first writing, carved into clay tablets, remains undeciphered. Now AI is helping us piece together this ancient Mesopotamian script, revealing the incredible stories of men, women and children at the dawn of history
23 March 2022
Our mastery of language presents many mysteries, not least where grammar comes from and how children learn to speak so effortlessly. Now researchers argue that it all makes sense if you think of language as a game of charades
14 October 2020
Filler words such as uh, mmm and huh may seem inarticulate, but without them human communication would be far less sophisticated
5 February 2020
One of civilisation’s most revolutionary inventions was long thought to be the brainchild of ancient Egyptian scribes. But its true creators may have been far less glamorous
9 October 2019
We can sniff out fear, find solace in the smell of a loved one, breathe in the scent of happiness. How we're deciphering the subliminal signals of human scent
1 May 2019
Two million years ago, our ancestors started singing to ward off predators putting humanity on a path that led to the evolution of language
26 September 2018
A lost language encoded in intricate cords is finally revealing its secrets – and it could upend what we know about Incan history and culture
7 March 2018
Getting interrupted is the worst, but knowing why people butt in may leave you more forgiving of the big mouth who did, and ready to stop it happening again
22 November 2017
Each of us has a unique way with words when we type our messages, emails and social posts. Do you know what yours is saying about you?
