In January 2026, researchers reported that the order in which the human brain makes sense of spoken language, from raw sound up to meaning, lines up closely with the layer-by-layer way large language models process text. The brain and the model, it seems, climb much the same ladder. It is a striking result. It is […]

How is it that humans learn to talk, and in what ways do we communicate before learning language? Emeritus Professor Paul Seedhouse explains.

A new study by researchers at Rice and Baylor reveals that the brain maintains a geometric neural “map” for meaning that allows multilingual speakers to express themselves across languages.

A new study suggests the brain nonconsciously filters out emotionally negative spoken words when people are distracted. The findings indicate that the mind protects conscious awareness by ignoring disruptive emotional sounds.

Scientists have made progress in decoding the language of sperm whales, with the help of a “particularly vocal grandma” named Pinchy.

NYU study using MEG finds similar neural activity patterns for English and Spanish grammar in 23 bilingual adults

This report draws on data from the 2021 Census of Population, alongside previous census cycles to identify changes over time in the linguistic profile of Indigenous language speakers living in a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) or Census Agglomeration (CA). In addition, supplementary statistics using the 2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey, which asks questions on the importance of Indigenous languages, were also included. Finally, 12 CMAs and CAs were selected for focused analysis, in order to highlight the specific linguistic communities in these areas.

Even while listening, the brain attempts to anticipate the next words. This is the conclusion reached by a current study conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers led by PD Dr. Patrick Krauss, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), and PD Dr. Achim Schilling, Heidelberg University. The researchers combined three methods: a natural listening situation, high resolution measurements of brain activity, and an AI language model as reference. The higher the probability of a certain word occurring in the relevant context, the weaker the neural reaction during processing. At the same time, the data indicate a rise in pre-onset activity before the word begins, suggesting the brain works with predictions.