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Particles of Thought: The Animal Translator

1hr 03m 49s

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.

Aired: 10/20/25
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by and . Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the , and PBS viewers.
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