The Origin of Language by Madeleine Beekman review – the suprising history of speech

It takes a village to raise a child – and that’s why we started talking to each other, argues an evolutionary biologistThe story of human evolution has undergone a distinct feminisation in recent decades. Or, rather, an equalisation: a much-needed rebalancing after 150 years during which, we were told, everything was driven by males strutting, brawling and shagging, with females just along for the ride. This reckoning has finally arrived at language.The origins of our species’ exceptional communication skills constitutes one of the more nebulous zones of the larger evolutionary narrative, because many of the bits of the human anatomy that allow us to communicate – notably the brain and the vocal tract – are soft and don’t fossilise. The linguistic societies of Paris and London even banned talk of evolution around 1870, and the subject only made a timid comeback about a century later. Plenty of theories have been tossed into the evidentiary void since then, mainly by men, but now evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman, of the University of Sydney, has turned her female gaze on the problem. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

MasterChef makes early return to BBC with ‘fewer jokes’ from fired hosts

Independent

Comments

Culture

MasterChef makes early return to BBC with ‘fewer jokes’ from fired hosts

Gary Lineker ‘lands first presenting role’ since leaving BBC as host of ITV gameshow

Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter Aimée leaves special tribute on rocker’s death certificate

Gary Lineker ‘signs on to new ITV show’ following Match of the Day exit

Wednesday season 2 is even more thrilling – but there’s one crucial oversight

‘I’m sorry for killing off one of the best period drama characters’

Zara ads banned for 'unhealthily thin' models

Call to vet YouTube ads like regular TV to stop scams

Propaganda or fair warning? Taiwanese TV show imagines Chinese invasion

Coroner concerned with festival's 'open' drug trade

Wednesday Season 2 on Netflix review: goes down like a spoonful of poisoned sugar

Wednesday: here's who’s joining the cast for season two, from Joanna Lumley to Lady Gaga

Director reveals why Pedro Pascal dropped out of major role in film with 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating

The Walking Dead actress Kelley Mack dies aged 33

MasterChef returns after Wallace and Torode sacked

Sally Hawkins says starring in Paddington 3 would have ‘broken her heart’

George Clooney calls out criticism of his acting abilities

South Park takes aim at Trump administration again as series moves to Paramount+

Hacks creator reveals to Senator Elizabeth Warren the ‘most tragic’ part of Colbert show cancellation

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola taken to hospital in Italy for planned procedure

Kelley Mack death: Walking Dead and Chicago Med actress dies at 33

Freakier Friday review: Lindsay Lohan deserves better than the unfunny nostalgia of this belated sequel

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar lead MTV VMA nominations

Sean 'Diddy' Combs 'seeks pardon from Trump'

Friends star's alleged 'Ketamine Queen' given trial date

Las Culturistas Culture Awards: Winners list and highlights from 2025 ceremony

Wednesday season two review: Netflix hit is as stylish as ever, but frightfully formulaic

Family Guy creator praises ‘incredible’ South Park despite rivalry with animated show

TV’s nice guy Stephen Mangan admits: ‘I can be just as ruthless as everybody else’

Marc Maron on feeling connected to the partner he lost

Humanities Endowment Funds Trump’s Priorities After Ending Old Grants

Amazon Prime’s ‘absolutely awful’ sci-fi remake crashes out with 0% RT score

Machine Gun Kelly delivers surprisingly accurate impression of huge star

Trump posts photo to commemorate Hulk Hogan’s funeral: ‘I thought everybody would enjoy’

Tom Holland waves at fans while filming new Spiderman in Glasgow

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars lead VMA nominations

Marc Maron turns back to stand-up after ending his popular WTF podcast

British Opera Company Cancels ‘Tosca’ Collaboration in Israel After Criticism

Here is why Kelly Ripa has been missing from her morning show ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola rushed to hospital in Italy: report

Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesley to make dramatic return as Eva Price

Hulk Hogan’s daughter posts about ‘questions’ over his death on day of his funeral

Sydney Sweeney and the unsettling legacy of the blonde bombshell

Hacks creator reveals to Senator Elizabeth Warren the ‘most tragic’ part of Colbert show cancellation

Adam Scott set the record straight on ‘Boy Meets World’ beef with Rider Strong

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar lead MTV VMA nominations

Chad Michael Murray has a teen heartthrob legacy. He says its a ‘blessing’

South Park takes aim at Trump administration again as series moves to Paramount+

‘I played ITV’s £250,000 gameshow – I didn’t know life could be that stressful’

Netflix fans have hours to binge ‘gruesome’ horror before season 2 finally drops

Oasis gig death: Witness saw similar incident and asks 'were lessons learned'?

Family pay tribute to Oasis fan who died at Wembley

Lady Gaga leads nominations for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards

David Byrne and Hayley Williams write original songs for Netflix film The Twits

Confederate statue toppled during Black Lives Matter protests will be reinstalled

8 Early Rap Songs From a New York City in Turmoil

Freakier Friday is hysterical – Lindsay Lohan is terrific

Original Naked Gun director reveals why he’s refusing to watch the new remake

Freakier Friday is a completely unnecessary sequel – but I loved it

Ozzy Osbourne’s cause of death revealed after rock legend’s funeral