A group of scientists at the University of Helsinki has published findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that show that children are capable of learning and retaining information much earlier than previously believed possible – before even being born! More specifically, they have found that babies in the third trimester were able to retain and recognize specific words. These unborn babies are, in fact, learning language while still in the womb.
In order to test their hypothesis, the scientists gave expectant mothers a recording to play for their unborn babies in the last few months of pregnancy. The recording was meant to be played several times a week and it contained a false word created by the scientists repeated multiple times throughout the recording among other sounds and noises. By the end of the treatment, the unborn babies would have heard the fake word more than 25,000 times before even being born.
Once the children were born, the scientists used electroencephalography (EEG) sensors to detect whether the newborn infants were able to recognize the word played repeatedly for them prior to birth. Their electric brain responses indicated they had developed a distinct memory of the word, they knew it.
This evidence indicates that language development begins much earlier in human life than previously believed. It is also possible that these findings will help scientists and doctors develop treatments for children at risk for dyslexia or auditory processing disorders.
This is another amazing example of our lives before birth and how even the unborn are living, growing members of the same human family.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
