In this captivating TED talk, biologist Mark Pagel expounds on his very intriguing theory of how and why the human species developed such a complex system of language, furthering and setting us apart from the other inhabitants of the planet. He then looks at the future of communication, asking why the worlds 7000-8000 languages came into existence and wonders at what will become of them in our ever more communicative and global world. [Read more...]