The "Language Gene" (FOXP2) in Neanderthals

Hello everyone,

Here's a link to a really interesting NPR interview/article discussing the discovery of FOXP2 changes in the Neanderthal genome, changes previously known only in humans. This gene has been associated with speech and language development, leading to some very interesting questions about the appearance of language in the hominid lineage. Alternatively, if the claims of critics are correct and Neanderthals did not have language, what might this discovery say about our understanding of the polygenic nature of language? Here's a link to the original article in Current Biology.

-Abi