Recently, scientists have discovered something incredible about chimpanzees: they can combine sounds to create new, meaningful words! Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have found evidence that chimpanzees can combine two different sounds to create new ways of communication. For example, they can combine a ‘hoo’ sound with a ‘hoo-hoo’ sound to create a new sound, ‘hoo-hoo-hoo’, that conveys a specific meaning, such as the presence of an enemy or a warning about danger. This new level of communication is believed to be the earliest form of language in the history of humankind. The implications of this research are incredible, as it shows that our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, have the potential to develop language skills. This could lead to a better understanding of the evolution of human language, as well as a deeper appreciation of one of the most intelligent animals on the planet.

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source: Phys.org