Bonobos use their calls to express complex thoughts — and science just decoded them. Bonobos may be closer to speaking our language than we ever imagined.
A groundbreaking study by researchers from Harvard and the University of Zurich has revealed that wild bonobos combine specific calls to form vocal “sentences” with layered meaning—a key feature once thought to be uniquely human. By documenting and decoding bonobo calls in the wild, scientists created a kind of vocal dictionary, showing that bonobos don’t just emit random sounds—they pair them to convey more complex messages. For example, a call meaning “I’m afraid” followed by one for “I’m leaving” creates a clear message: “I’m afraid, and I’m leaving now.”
This structured communication, known as compositionality, underpins human language and enables us to generate limitless meanings by combining simple words. Until now, such a system had never been mapped in another species. But bonobos, with their socially intricate lives, appear to rely on just this kind of nuanced vocal strategy. Their ability to mix and match calls to express fear, intent, or tension suggests that the roots of language might stretch further back in evolutionary time than we thought. If bonobos and humans developed this capacity separately, it may point to ancient neural foundations for language shared by a common ancestor millions of years ago.
Source: "Extensive compositionality in the vocal system of bonobos." Science, 2025.
Meanwhile,
Provinces and island groups in the Philippines that have a distinct and recognizable shapes.
• Antique: Resembling a seahorse, this province is a long, narrow strip of land situated on the western side of Panay Island. Panay Island is the island of my Birth.
• Camiguin: Pearl or pear shape: This small island province off the coast of Mindanao is described as having a pearl-like or pear-like shape.
• Bataan: This province occupies the entire Bataan Peninsula, The "finger-like" appearance of Bataan is not due to the entire province, but a specific location in Mariveles called Five Fingers Cove.
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