News Anthropology

Loud and clear

Fossil finds suggest an early origin for human speech

By Tia Ghose

- More than 2 years ago

It may be time to rethink the stereotype of grunting, wordless Neandertals. The prehistoric humans may have been quite chatty — at least if the ear canals of their ancestors are any indication.

ALL EARS CT scanning of H. heidelbergensis skulls, like the one shown here, helped a team reconstruct the structure of the ear canal of this Neandertal ancestor.