Overview

• A new study concludes that human linguistic capacity existed at least 135,000 years ago, based on genomic evidence of early Homo sapiens population divergence.
• The research synthesizes findings from 15 genetic studies, including whole-genome, Y chromosome, and mitochondrial DNA analyses.
• The first population split, represented by the Khoisan peoples of Southern Africa, confirms that language likely emerged prior to 135,000 years ago.
• A 35,000-year gap between the emergence of linguistic capacity and widespread symbolic behaviors suggests language gradually transformed human cognition and culture.
• The findings challenge earlier theories, such as Noam Chomsky's, which proposed a much later emergence of linguistic capacity around 50,000 years ago.