What is speech, really? Neuroscientist Erich Jarvis explores the science behind how we speak.

Particles of Thought: The Animal Translator NOVA

Premiered October 21, 2025
Particles of Thought: The Animal Translator

Talking, singing, even dancing — they all trace back to a rare superpower: vocal learning. But humans aren’t the only animals that have it. Neuroscientist Erich Jarvis has spent his career decoding the mysterious ability to imitate sounds, a key ingredient in spoken language. In this episode, he joins Hakeem to explore why only a handful of species — like parrots, dolphins, and bats — can do it.

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