A new study links a particular gene to the ancient origins of spoken language, proposing that a protein variant found only in humans may have helped us communicate in a novel way.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. Dallas’ most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Monday.

Imagine seeing a furry, four-legged animal that meows. Mentally, you know what it is, but the word "cat" is stuck on the tip ...