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Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying
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Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying

Scientists are testing the limits of artificial intelligence when it comes to language learning. One recent challenge? Learning ... whale! Researchers are using machine learning to analyze and decode whale sounds — and it's just as complicated as it seems.

Sperm whale families talk a lot. Researchers are trying to decode what they're saying

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Why babies babble, and what it can teach adults about language

UCLA researcher Megha Sundara says that, even early on, babies are very good at imitating the rhythm and intonations — part of what makes up "prosody" — of the language they're hearing. Image Source/Getty Images hide caption

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Why babies babble, and what it can teach adults about language

In which we metaphorically enter the UCLA Language Acquisistion Lab's recording castle, guided by linguistics researcher Dr. Megha Sundara. NPR science correspondent Sydney Lupkin temporarily takes over the host chair to talk to Sundara about all things baby babble. Along the way, we learn why babies babble, how that babbling can change with exposure to new languages — and if there are any lessons for adults.

Why babies babble, and what it can teach adults about language

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