Language

Recent articles

Mock-up of the Neuropixels probe inserted into brain tissue.

Tracking single neurons in the human brain reveals new insight into language and other human-specific functions

Better technologies to stably monitor cell populations over long periods of time make it possible to study neural coding and dynamics in the human brain.

By Edward Chang, Jason Chung
28 April 2025 | 7 min read

Gabriele Scheler reflects on the interplay between language, thought and AI

She discusses how verbal thought shapes cognition, why inner speech is foundational to human intelligence and what current artificial-intelligence models get wrong about language.

By Paul Middlebrooks
26 March 2025 | 96 min listen
Illustration of a paper draft covered in notes and sign-off signatures, and surrounded by many hands reaching towards it.

The last two-author neuroscience paper?

Author lists on papers have ballooned, and it’s getting hard to discern contribution.

By Lydia Denworth
25 February 2025 | 3 min read

‘Digital humans’ in a virtual world

By combining large language models with modular cognitive control architecture, Robert Yang and his collaborators have built agents that are capable of grounded reasoning at a linguistic level. Striking collective behaviors have emerged.

By Kevin Mitchell
10 February 2025 | 51 min watch
Illustration of two neon-toned sets of concentric circles overlapping, with bright spots where they intersect.

Are brains and AI converging?—an excerpt from ‘ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution’

In his new book, to be published next week, computational neuroscience pioneer Terrence Sejnowski tackles debates about AI’s capacity to mirror cognitive processes.

By Terrence Sejnowski
21 October 2024 | 12 min read
Portrait of Matthew Siegel sitting on a staircase.

Pinning down ‘profound autism’ for reliable research: Q&A with Matthew Siegel

A clear and actionable definition for the term could enhance research and improve care, Matthew Siegel says.

By Katie Moisse
13 June 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of a series of squares containing distinct patterns.

Can an emerging field called ‘neural systems understanding’ explain the brain?

This mashup of neuroscience, artificial intelligence and even linguistics and philosophy of mind aims to crack the deep question of what "understanding" is, however un-brain-like its models may be.

By George Musser
5 June 2024 | 21 min listen
Conceptual image of colorful falling letters, casting shadows on a white wall.

Some minimally verbal autistic people show signs of written-language familiarity, study suggests

But researchers not involved in the work worry the findings could be used to support discredited facilitated-communication techniques.

By Calli McMurray
9 May 2024 | 7 min read
Illustrated portrait of Emily Finn.

Brain connectivity and letting the data speak with Emily Finn

The Dartmouth College researcher talks about her quest to understand behavior and doing neuroscience “in the woods.”

By Brady Huggett
1 May 2024 | 70 min listen
Human head drawn in profile, brain area is red and connected to words spelled out in connected lines with nodes.

Individual neurons tune to complex speech sounds and cues

Neuropixels arrays implanted in people reveal nuances of speech perception and production that confirm results from brain-surface recordings and can even predict what someone is about to say.

By Elissa Welle
15 March 2024 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of connectivity in the fly brain.

Connectomics 2.0: Simulating the brain

With a complete fly connectome in hand, researchers are taking the next step to model how brain circuits fuel function.

By Laura Dattaro
2 May 2025 | 11 min read
Illustration of overlapping, multi-colored human head silhouettes.

CDC autism prevalence numbers warrant attention—but not in the way RFK Jr. proposes

The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is ignoring decades of research findings.

By Lynn Waterhouse
1 May 2025 | 6 min read
A red speech bubble emanates from a megaphone.

‘These plans are simply not acceptable’: Q&A with Helen Tager-Flusberg

Last week, Tager-Flusberg formed the Coalition of Autism Scientists to push back on the U.S. government’s plans for autism research, as described by Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. The coalition already has 220 members.

By Sydney Wyatt
1 May 2025 | 5 min read