When our brains recognize chimpanzees' voices

The human brain does not only react to the voices of its fellow creatures. A study by the University of Geneva, published in the journal eLife, shows that it also activates when faced with the vocalizations of chimpanzees, our closest cousins. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers observed the activation of the superior temporal gyrus, a key region of the auditory cortex involved in processing sounds related to language, music and emotions, when volunteers listened to chimpanzee vocalizations.