Topic: apes

Nature staff discuss rhythmic laughter in apes, what it may reveal about the evolution of speech, and evidence that AI use can erode skills in medicine and computing.

This lecture traces research on the mouse T locus and the Tbxt gene before examining a proposed mechanism of tail loss in apes. A repeated DNA insertion may alter splicing and protein production. The discussion asks how a small genetic change could affect development and generate a large, persistent evolutionary transformation.