This podcast features a neurobiologist interviewing Dr. Erich Jarvis, a professor specializing in the neurobiology of vocal learning. The conversation explores the similarities and differences between speech and language across species, focusing on the neural circuits and genes involved. Dr. Jarvis highlights the surprising parallels between human speech and birdsong, including shared genes and critical periods for learning. A key takeaway is the close relationship between brain pathways controlling speech and those controlling body movement, explaining why vocal learning species often exhibit dance-like behaviors. Listeners gain insights into the neurobiology of language acquisition, speech disorders like stuttering, and the evolutionary history of language.
