Scientists from Germany introduced the Foxp2 gene in a mouse {through gene therapy I am guessing} in order to hopefully provide clues to language development in humans. Quite interesting, I wonder if the mouse has an advanced form of communication compared to other mice.

 

Full story on "http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090624093315.htm"

Nice discovery. Foxp2 maybe a 'master' gene that controls a host of others in humans. You are very unlikely to get transgenic::Fox P2 mice asking for 'cheese please' in a squeaky voice though other animals probably don't have the genes that are needed for control by Foxp2. However, I would still wait to see how many 'master' genes are needed for speech development. I would find it unlikely that speech is only dependent on one gene.

it was recently discovered that dogs can learn about 300 words on average but they don't not have the ability to speak them so a dog has the average brain capacity of a 2 year old in language but the interesting thing is that they are able to do math at a 6 year old level.

 

i just thought it would be interesting to point that out due to the fact that us being able to talk and form words isn't much more then dogs barking because its all about the pitch and the formation

 

 

i always wonder are dogs able to communicate in a pitch in which humans can not hear?