Origins of language

This topic is perennial but since there is no real evidence, at one time discussion was prohibited in linguistic societies. Nonetheless theories still come forth llike this one in Science magazine:

A July 23, 2026 study published in Science reveals that global linguistic diversity hit a "golden age" peak 1,000 to 3,000 years ago. During this era, up to 75,000 languages may have existed—ten times more than today—with historical decline sparked by ancient empires rather than modern colonization. [1, 2]
Key Findings of the Study

• Past Peak: Human language diversity reached between 20,000 and 75,000 active languages during its historical peak. [1]
• Early Decline: Mass language extinction began with the rise of ancient multinational states and empires spreading their own dominant tongues and cultures. [1]
• Current Status: Roughly 7,500 languages are spoken or signed globally today, with half facing endangerment and at least four disappearing every year. [1]

If you'd like, I can provide more details on:

• The computational and statistical models used by the researchers

• How this impacts our view of cultural evolution