University of Michigan researcher says monkey sounds reminiscent of human speech

Wild geladas produce more complex sounds than other primates.

AP Photo

Wired magazine is reporting the researcher, Thore Bergman, has found that wild geladas produce more complex sounds than other primates, and added the sounds are eerily reminiscent of human speech.

“When we first started working with geladas in 2006, we noticed sounds like people were talking around you,” Bergman told Wired after he published his findings in Current Biology. “Most primates only make a few sounds, but geladas produce a complex stream with a rhythm similar to language.”

• Read the full report in Wired.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.