Who needs grammar? Not AI

+ the ancient viral DNA that never left us US Edition - Today's top story: AI is changing scientists' understanding of language learning – and raising questions about an innate grammar [View in browser]( US Edition | 19 October 2022 [The Conversation]( Just about every young child learns to understand and produce language. It’s pretty amazing when you stop to think about it. From the swirl of all the words they encounter, kids figure out what it all means and piece together their own phrases. For a long time, linguists have assumed there must be some innate grammar template in the human mind undergirding this process. Cognitive scientists Morten Christiansen and Pablo Contreras Kallens are [rethinking that assumption](, though, based on what they’ve seen computers do. Some artificial intelligence models are able to write articles and poetry and respond to questions and prompts. They’re generating language without ever having been programmed with any grammatical system. And that has Christiansen and Kallens wondering: If an AI can produce language in the absence of grammar, could a person, too? Also today: - [Iran’s growing role in the Ukrainian conflict, explained]( - [“Character conservatives” and the Utah election race]( - [The real medieval drama behind “House of the Dragon”]( Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor Is living in a language-rich world enough to teach a child grammatical language? kate_sept2004/E+ via Getty Images [AI is changing scientists’ understanding of language learning – and raising questions about an innate grammar]( Morten H. Christiansen, Cornell University; Pablo Contreras Kallens, Cornell University Linguists have long considered grammar to be the glue of language, and key to how children learn it. But new prose-writing AIs suggest language experience may be more important than grammar. Politics + Society - [Iranian drones used by Russia in Ukraine show that there’s already one victor in that war: Iran]( Aaron Pilkington, University of Denver Iran has a growing role in the Ukraine war, helping Russia augment its dwindling weapons supplies. That may help Russia, but it also serves Iran’s national interests. Ethics + Religion - [Why the GOP’s battle for the soul of ‘character conservatives’ in these midterms may center on Utah and its Latter-day Saint voters]( Luke Perry, Utica College Many Republicans have wrestled with whether to embrace Donald Trump and his brash political style. Latter-day Saints are an especially telling example. - [Diwali: A celebration of the goddess Lakshmi, and her promise of prosperity and good fortune]( Jeffery D. Long, Elizabethtown College Shri is the earliest name given to the goddess Lakshmi in Hindu texts. The word originally meant splendor and refers to all that is auspicious. Health + Medicine - [Colonoscopy is still the most recommended screening for colorectal cancer, despite conflicting headlines and flawed interpretations of a new study]( Franklin G. Berger, University of South Carolina Don’t be confused by recent media reports – colonoscopies are still the best way to detect and prevent colon cancer. Arts + Culture - [HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’ was inspired by a real medieval dynastic struggle over a female ruler]( David Routt, University of Richmond During a two-decade period of English history known as the Anarchy, a woman sought to make the then-unprecedented move of ascending to the English throne. Science + Technology - [Humans are 8% virus – how the ancient viral DNA in your genome plays a role in human disease and development]( Aidan Burn, Tufts University Bits of viral genes incorporated into human DNA have been linked to cancer, ALS and schizophrenia. But many of these genes may not be harmful, and could even protect against infectious disease. - [Powerful women heading up dating apps are framed as young and sexy]( Treena Orchard, Western University; Riki Thompson, University of Washington Two women ruled the dating app tech industry last year. How they were portrayed by mainstream media versus how they portrayed themselves in social media says a lot about how women leaders are viewed. Environment + Energy - [Wildfires reshape forests and change the behavior of animals that live there]( Taylor Ganz, University of Washington Wildfires are remaking western US forests. Decisions about managing forests that have burned should factor in how fires change animal behavior and interactions between predators and prey. Education - [How college in prison is leading professors to rethink how they teach]( Mneesha Gellman, Emerson College In a new book, professors shine light on the transformative experience of teaching behind bars. Trending on site - [Helping the liver regenerate itself could give patients with end-stage liver disease a treatment option besides waiting for a transplant]( - [Why the US House of Representatives has 435 seats – and how that could change]( - [How Bob Dylan used the ancient practice of ‘imitatio’ to craft some of the most original songs of his time]( Today's graphic [A map of the United States with each state in a shade of green. The darker the shade, the more seats the state would gain if the U.S. House of Representatives were set to represent the number of people living in the least populated state.]( From the story, [Why the US House of Representatives has 435 seats – and how that could change]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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