In the jungle of **Borneo**, an international team of scientists has identified in the **flanged orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii)** complex and nested vocal structures, a characteristic that until now was only associated with **human language**.
The research, published in the journal **[eLife](https://elifesciences.org/)**, suggests that **hierarchical recursion**, considered a unique trait of humans, is also present in these primates, opening up new perspectives on the **evolution of communication and music**.
## Hierarchical organization in orangutan vocalizations
**Hierarchical recursion** allows structuring information at different levels, as in complex human language phrases.
After over **2,500 hours of observation** in Borneo and the analysis of **66 recordings of long calls**, the researchers identified:
– **Two levels of organization** in vocalizations.
– **Nested rhythmic patterns**, not simple duplications.
– **Organized structures**, ruling out random or anatomical factors.
## Implications for the evolution of language
This discovery challenges the idea that **recursion is exclusive to humans**.
In previous studies, birds like **starlings** or primates like **rhesus monkeys** only managed to recognize complex structures after training. In contrast, **orangutans demonstrated this capacity spontaneously in their natural habitat**.
This suggests that the **ability to structure sounds at multiple levels** may have been present in a **common ancestor** of humans and orangutans, pointing to a gradual evolution of language.
Additionally, it was observed that orangutans **modify the rhythm of their vocalizations** according to the type of threat: they speed up with real predators and slow down with ambiguous dangers.
This behavior reinforces the hypothesis that their vocalizations **convey significant information to the group**.
## The link between vocal recursion and music
The research also raises the possibility that the **recursive vocal combinatorics** of orangutans may be related to the **origins of human music**.
Isochronous rhythm and hierarchical structures are common in musical composition. **The structural organization of sounds** could have been an **evolutionary precursor of articulated language**.
## Comparison with human structured thinking
Researchers draw a parallel between the **vocal recursion of orangutans** and digital systems like computer programming or spreadsheets, where functions are nested following hierarchical logic.
This analysis suggests that structured thinking may **not be exclusive to humans**, but rather part of a **[cognitive capacity](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/los-murcielagos-tienen-habilidades-cognitivas-muy-humanas/)** shared with other primates.
## Future perspectives in the study of animal language
Despite the relevance of the finding, scientists take a cautious stance:
– They do not claim that orangutans understand complex phrases.
– They acknowledge that the evolution of human language has been significant since the separation of both species 10 million years ago.
However, this study **opens up new lines of research** on the relationship between **communication, cognition, and culture**, with potential applications in **evolutionary biology and neuroscience**.
## A window to the origins of human language
The discovery in **flanged orangutans of Borneo** expands our knowledge of the evolution of **language structure**, suggesting a connection between **animal communication, music, and human cognitive development**.
These results may mark a turning point in understanding how **living beings organize information and generate complex structures**, a fundamental trait in the evolution of culture and intelligence.
