@cnidaria I absolutely agree, convergent evolution is much more plausable explanation. We have clear evidence that convergent evolution occures in similar environment conditions.

As for probability of that occuring out there in the universe, we really can't say anything as we have only one sample of a planet with inteligent life so far.

Sloppy reprint of a sloppy news report. Neither yours nor WSJ report states just why Koro is such an unique language.

One can say that each language represents an unique way of encoding human knowledge about the world. Reading the article I was under the impression that the researchers have stumbled upon another language isolate. Perhaps one with truly unique grammar and syntax. However, the second part of WSJ report reveals that Koro is firmly placed among other Tibeto-Burman languages. This being a sub-family of an even larger Sino-Tibetan family of languages.

With all due respect to uniqueness of this particular language, no language which can be so decidedly placed in such a large family can be considered as special as languages such as Basque or ancient Sumerian or many languages of American natives which defy any attempt of classification, and quite often exhibit truly unique ways of encoding information.

@Krikkit

I am an electrical engineer by vocation. I can assure you that 99% of electrical motors in use today are in fact 3 phase AC motors. That goes for any electric motor from you electric tooth brush to your subway car.

Tesla's main contribution is 3 phase AC electric systems. Including generator/motor and long range transport systems, pretty much your standard electric grid.

Only things using DC current nowadays are electronic devices. However they still depend on AC power lines.

@Gauldar
It's not a quack theory. It simply sits better with evidence found in other mammal species. There are not so many hairless savanna carnivores, but there are plenty of hairless aquatic or semi aquatic mammals. And when they say aquatic, think of hippo kind of aquatic not dolphin.

Bad taste indeed

But they can swim with no problems. Another thing in favor of so called Aquatic Ape Hypothesis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquatic_ape_hypothesis

Oh, but there is plenty more or these star shaped forts all over Europe. The idea behind these crazy angles is to catch the enemy in crossfire where ever he is standing. Once the fortification engineers figured it out, it become fashionable so almost all forts and fortresses built in 17th and 18th centuries had this shape. Even older structures were retrofitted to resemble this plan.