Researchers investigating how the first writing arose identified the motifs on preliterate "cylinder seals" used in the trade of agricultural products and textiles.

New genetic analysis reveals complex mating behaviors in black-necked cranes, challenging folklore that portrays them as ...

A link exists between 6,000-year-old engravings on cylindrical seals used on clay tablets and cuneiform, the world’s oldest ...

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors used symbols to track the sale of textile and agricultural products. New research ...

The 2,000-year-old geoglyphs offer clues to the ancient Nazca people and their rituals.

Making the jump from using symbols to writing is considered a major development in human cognitive abilities. Tracing how and ...

In the 2016 science fiction movie Arrival, a linguist is faced with the daunting task of deciphering an alien language ...

This week, uncover the secrets of Pompeii through ancient DNA, meet an adventurous emperor penguin, seek signs of mysterious ...

To simulate how language may evolve, we give agents (AIs) simple tasks that require communication, like a game where one ...

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. Researchers have ...