Researchers Believe They Found Gene that Will Allow Monkeys to Speak

For many years, scientists, science teachers, and science professors have espoused the idea that monkeys and humans have very similar genetic traits. Some scientists even believe that monkeys and humans share as much as 90% of our genetic code. Building on these premises, scientists have researched why humans can speak while monkeys cannot.

Animal researchers have been comparing the genetic code between monkeys and humans. Richard Alleyne, a reporter for the Telegraph in the UK, described the researchers comparison as "comparing versions of the FOX2P gene in humans and our near relative the chimpanzee to see why we have developed the ability to speak and they have not." Animal rights activists were worried about simple drug tests using rats. These researchers have left their rat testing counterparts in the dust.

Of course, researchers are touting a very noble explanation. Researchers wrote about their findings in the journal Nature. In this journal, researchers stated the research was done to find treatments for possible speech conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. This explanation brings up some interesting questions. A large number of people with autism and schizophrenia can speak. They may not always speak very clearly, they do speak. How would discovering a gene to turn speech on help the majority of these people?

Very quickly, the researchers turned from human explanation to animals. Alleyne quoted Dr. Daniel Geschwind as stating, "Our findings may shed light on why human brains are born with the circuitry for speech and language and chimp brains are not." There may be a case to be made for this discovery solving some human ailments. How does it aid man to find out why chimps cannot speak?

With any scientific research, it is important to consider the next step. Humans are very good at making discoveries and learning. However, we are not as well developed in the areas of ethics. Scientists are very quick to make new breakthroughs, without considering the next steps. If scientists find out why chimps cannot speak then what will they do with this information?

This story brings scenes from the Plant of the Apes flooding into my head. In Planet of the Apes, cats and dogs all die in a animal pandemic, humans then replace them with several species of monkeys. In time, these monkeys and apes begin learning to speak, work together, and enslave the human race. This research seems to point to scientists willing to skip several evolutionary steps and produce monkeys that can speak. Medical research has a place when it is used to help humanity; however, should we not draw the line at playing God?

References

Alleyne, Richard. November 2009. Gene that 'switches on' ability to speak found by scientists. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved on November 12, 2009 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6545295/Gene-that-switches-on-ability-to-speak-found-by-scientists.html

Enard, Przeworski, Fisher, Lai, Wiebe, Kitano, Monaco, and Pääbo. August 2002. Molecular evolution of FOXP2, a gene involved in speech and language. Nature. Retrieved on November 10, 2009 from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v418/n6900/abs/nature01025.html