Life Chimp calls suggest language evolved from a song Once more with meaning Was the evolution of spoken language more of a song or a dance? The responses of chimpanzees to a stuffed snake suggest it might have been more like a stage show, with vocal and gestural modes of communication both being fundamental building blocks of language . Darwin suggested we sang our … 51¶¯Âþ
Life School achievement isn't just in your genes Anyone who asserts that educational attainment is in large part inherited needs a lesson in modern genetics, says a professor of biology Opinion
Technology Meal-sharing sites send hungry tourists to home chefs Eating like a local, anywhere TO REALLY experience a place, you've got to eat like a local. Review websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor help out-of-towners dodge overpriced tourist traps, but what about travellers seeking a unique, home-cooked meal in a foreign land? The rise of the sharing economy has already transformed finding somewhere to stay … 51¶¯Âþ
Life The Photo Ark: We have to see them to save them (Images: Joel Sartore) JOEL SARTORE travels the world photographing endangered animals from zoos and rescue centres for his Photo Ark project . He has photographed more than 2600 species so far. "The goal of all this is to simply get the public to finally wake up and pay attention," says Sartore. "Half of all species … Regulars
Life The end of anonymity: A way to stop online abuse? Warning: This feature begins with language that some readers may find upsettingBiometrics may soon make it impossible to hide your identity online. It could bring a new age of internet civility – if we don’t mind losing our liberty too Features
Life Babies know good from evil – is this morality? Small children comforting others may be an evolved trait (Image: Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy/Getty) Morality is innate and has evolutionary origins, argues Paul Bloom in Just Babies: The origins of good and evil , which highlights the inherent goodness of babies PUT on a puppet show for 3-month-old babies and they seem able … CultureLab
The changes Obama wants in US public colleges Time for change "IT'S TIME to stop subsidizing schools that are not producing good results." When US president Barack Obama addressed the State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo in August this year, he pulled no punches in his critique of the country's universities . Obama plans to implement a set of changes – including … Careers
Feedback: Ship of fools Caption Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more Ship of fools SUPERYACHTS and their owners can be friends of the earth. Oh, yes. "Build a yacht. Protect the forests," says Philippe Mondielli, scientific director of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. He was writing in a … Regulars