Epi 61: Science news – Why humans speak and gorillas shriek

Full Episode description

Have you wondered why humans like you and I speak in long steady voices, while gorillas, apes and chimpanzees often bounce about trees and shriek in high-pitched voices?
Have you also wondered what would happen if you spoke in a shrill voice for a long time? Go ahead and try it. Or better, listen to this episode to find out what an 8-yr old boy called Devansh has found about this in a recent Science journal .
A group of scientists studied our vocal chords and compared it with that of primates. Somewhere along the way, humans alone seem to have lost vocal membranes. This loss could have been a key factor in helping us speak in low and steady voices.
This conversation between the host Sangeetha and our remarkably brilliant 8-yr old co-host Devansh, is entertaining and illuminating at the same time. You'd also know why Mary Poppins finds it so simple and easy to say – supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !!

We'd love to hear your answer to the riddle. Please click here to send it to us.
 
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