Sentences with phrase «animal communication systems»

Indeed, it remains a hotly debated topic as to whether human language evolved from other animal communication systems for the purpose of communication, or as an independent outcome of selection for enhanced general cognitive abilities (sensu Donaldson et al. 2007).

Evidence in support of the first hypothesis would need to cite demonstrations of how symbolic reference, as used by humans, could evolve from functional reference, as observed in other animal communication systems.

Still, the fact that they can «talk» colour «probably makes this the most sophisticated animal communication system that has been decoded so far,» says Slobodchikoff.

Not exact matches

Hens are intelligent, highly social animals with a communication system that includes dozens of different vocalizations.

«When we look at animal systems and try to understand behavior or communication, we have to do so from the perspective of the animals we're watching,» lead author Aaron Rundus says.

Some researchers have argued that a single mutation powered the «leap» from an animal - like communication system to something uniquely human (Science, 22 November 2002, p. 1569), and that some level of complexity was necessary from the outset.

The study, which sheds light on the evolution of acoustic communication systems in animals, appears in the journal Current Biology.

«The origins of communication signals have long fascinated evolutionary biologists, and multiple potential mechanisms for these origins have been proposed,» says co-lead author Hannah ter Hofstede, an assistant professor at Dartmouth who investigates how sensory systems evolve to encode the environmental cues that are crucial for an animal's survival and reproduction.

Vocal learning is a skill that allows animals to expand their call repertoires and therefore the complexity of their communication systems.

In particular, the scientists studied a key communication system called «Notch,» which is used in nearly every tissue in animals.

In between veterinary medicine and chiropractic care, VOM is a healing technology that locates areas of the animal's nervous system that have fallen out of communication.