Scientists have identified three genes that may have played an important part in a major development in human evolution. The genes are being linked to the increase in brain size that took place in ancestors of human beings. This increase led to the development of mental abilities that define what it means to be human. Researchers published two reports on their observations of the genes in the publication Cell in late May. The researchers believe the genes first appeared between three and four million years ago. This was just before a period in the fossil record that shows a major brain enlargement in the species from which humans evolved. The three genes share almost the exact same qualities. Along with a fourth one that seems to serve no purpose, they are called NOTCH2NL genes. They came from a gene family believed to have developed hundreds of millions of years ago. They are also important in the development of embryos.
Title: Scientists Identify Genes Behind Humans' Big Brains
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/big_brains.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Scientists Identify Genes Behind Humans' Big Brains' data-article-id='3146'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='10521'>Scientists have identified three genes that may have played an important part in a major development in human evolution.</span> <span data-start-time='10521' data-end-time='19979'>The genes are being linked to the increase in brain size that took place in ancestors of human beings.</span> <span data-start-time='19979' data-end-time='28333'>This increase led to the development of mental abilities that define what it means to be human.</span> <span data-start-time='28333' data-end-time='36896'>Researchers published two reports on their observations of the genes in the publication Cell in late May.</span> <span data-start-time='36896' data-end-time='44604'>The researchers believe the genes first appeared between three and four million years ago.</span> <span data-start-time='44604' data-end-time='55604'>This was just before a period in the fossil record that shows a major brain enlargement in the species from which humans evolved.</span> <span data-start-time='55604' data-end-time='60917'>The three genes share almost the exact same qualities.</span> <span data-start-time='60917' data-end-time='70604'>Along with a fourth one that seems to serve no purpose, they are called NOTCH2NL genes.</span> <span data-start-time='70604' data-end-time='78000'>They came from a gene family believed to have developed hundreds of millions of years ago.</span> <span data-start-time='78000' data-end-time='83000'>They are also important in the development of embryos.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/big_brains.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=10924 data-hint-location='44604' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/what_does_evolve_mean.m4a'>What does evolve mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='change over time'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/serve_no_purpose.m4a'><span>serve no purpose</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/genetic_research.m4a'><span>genetic research</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/change_over_time.m4a'><span>change over time</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/increased_brain_size.m4a'><span>increased brain size</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=10925 data-hint-location='28333' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/what_is_the_name_of_the_publication.m4a'>What is the name of the publication?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Cell'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/cell.m4a'><span>Cell</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/brain.m4a'><span>Brain</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/science.m4a'><span>Science</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/fossil.m4a'><span>Fossil</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=10926 data-hint-location='19979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/this_led_to_the_development_of__blank_.m4a'>This led to the development of <span class='blank'>mental abilities</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='mental abilities'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/published_reports.m4a'><span>published reports</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/mental_abilities.m4a'><span>mental abilities</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/fossil_discovery.m4a'><span>fossil discovery</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2617/human_beings.m4a'><span>human beings</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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