Computer synthesiser enables Neanderthals to be heard
By Darren Murph 
posted Apr 16th 2008 10:03PM
posted Apr 16th 2008 10:03PM
We know, it's a dream of yours to one day hear what Neanderthals from eons past sounded like when they conversed of DAPs possessing a few kilobytes of storage space and longed for computers that wouldn't take up entire caves. Okay, so maybe that's a stretch, but an anthropologist at Florida Atlantic University has seemingly figured out a way to actually recreate what ancient human speech (probably) sounded like. By utilizing reconstructions of a trio of Neanderthal vocal tracts, the crew was able to engineer what a spoken "E" would've sounded like via a computer synthesiser; in time, they're hoping to construct an entire Neanderthal sentence. Of course, not everyone's convinced that the discoveries made thus far are entirely accurate, but be sure to hit the read link a take a listen for yourself (hint: it's nothing like those Bud Light commercials).[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of ABC]
Direct link for those, like me, who had to spend a little time to actualyl locate the damn link on the page.
http://media.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/av/dn13672A1.wav
Sounds like a fart.
Or is it an "A!" sound?
Thanks, I was looking for that.
This is the most deserving first comment I have ever seen.
@paul, indeed, but i lack all tv/music knowledge and was too lazy to enter a poem on google, also i'd rather spur a conversation rather then google it. also-also, this is a blog, i dont care if my spelling is off, as long as you understand.
though i have a friend named paul.
Motoken, what the flying %^&* are you trying to communicate?
Thanks, now I know that my ancient ancestors sounded like poorly made killer robots. Which is pretty cool btw.
Sounds more like the noise a grasshopper makes. Maybe those were the "vocal tracts" of the insectoid aliens that subdued earth.
I listen to them every day, so I know what they sound like.
That's....cute.
did you forget to put a forward option on your time machine?
@andres
Either way, her comment being posted to this blog at this time, in this age, means the Neanderthals she hears are contemporary.
Now if you'll excuse me... I've just heard a scream.
Just get Arnold Schwarzenegger to say something, that's probably the closest you will ever get
"ITS NOT A TUMOR!"
Is this really engadget worthy?
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,ヘ ,:ﾍ.
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God, seriously!? Are you seriously bringing this ASCII crap here? It's might be cute on 2chan and other such sites, but it's almost insulting to see this here. C'mon...
Back on topic, I suppose the tools used may be worthy, but maybe we've lost the sarcasm of the post somewhere. I find it pretty funny that some guy thinks he knows how Neanderthals sounded. 10,000 years from now I want some guy to exhume my grave, approximate my vocal cavities, and recreate my voice. Maybe he'll think I couldn't pronounce an "E" like they would in their time either.
Yeah I was trying to make that point too, but I guess it didn't carry over so well. I guess when you try to ego trip you just lose your luggage ;.;
No worries. My comment was supposed to be for mushrooshi above yours. Chalk it up to only one hierarchal level of comment replying. You got a + from me.
GREAT! now we mite be able to communicate with our government!
That's a great insult to Neanderthals' language and intelligence, please respect the dead.
Perhaps your government would be more open to intelligent coversation if you first learned how to properly spell "might".
@paul,
well...I don't know. He may have a point...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viqlkKwZIlM
got me lifted shifted higher than a ceiling
And ooh wee it’s the ultimate feeling
You got me lifted feeling so gifted
Sugar how you get so fly?
come again? lol jk but its a real nice poem, did you make it or shake it?
Motoken, 10 seconds on Google then Youtube revealed:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=C6szDIy6SUs
What I wrote was supposed to be a joke
That video is even funnier (Though the ladies are hot)
I'm sure they were just talking about being oppressed by car insurance ads.
Not the bud light commercials, but they prolly sound like the cavemen from the Geico commercials
Me want Snu Snu, Out Me way!... typical sentence...
At school, "Snuu Snuu" is a slang word for secks. Note secks instead of sex. That is because we use it as an immature joke.
Futurama... Episode no. 33
Jesus, that's some Alien Vs. Predator shit right there (Use your imagination).
Sounds like a queef.
How long before the creationists come out of the wood work and start telling us the world is only 6000 years old and that neanderthals were really the spawn of satan?
Some other students have told me carbon16 dating is so flawed, I can understand margins of half a million years, but not tens and fiftys and hundreds of millions of years!
One says man did really walk with dinosaurs.
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No that's fundi's but I see how people can get the two confused. :-P
I wouldn't put too much stock in your blokes who're talking about "carbon 16" dating... seeing how's there no such thing.
check the comments on the read link... people have managed to turn it into yet another racism debate.
I personally do believe that we could have walked with dinosaurs... but that's a long debate that I'd rather not get into right now...
Interestingly, nobody has said anything of the sort. But now we have heard from the jackass elitist crowd. Telling?
Seriously man, trying to start ID flame wars just to stroke your e-peen gives fellow atheists a bad name. GTFO.
lol, you think science is "elitest". HAHAHAHAHAHA.
QED
Bud Light presents... Real Men of Genius. (Real Men of Genius!) Today we salute you, Mr. Caveman Voice Recreator. (Mr. Caveman Voice Recreator!)
Perhaps the wrong Bud Light commercials.
I love those commercials!
Good ol' FAU, my alma mater.
I knew we descended from aliens... Glad I finally have proof.
I was hoping to hear "Yabba dabba doo!"
WILLLMAAAAA!
Stupid idiots. Who cares?