TALKING DOGS? CHATTY CATS? THE IDEA ISN'T SO FAR-FETCHED.

The article explores the concept and scientific progress toward translating animal communication into human language, a theme often depicted in fiction such as the animated movie *Up* and the series *Rick and Morty*. Advances in artificial intelligence, computing power, and sound analysis are enabling researchers to decode animal sounds, with examples including a parrot that learned Spanish and a brief interspecies exchange with an Alaskan humpback whale. Scientists are also studying genetic factors influencing vocal learning, such as the NOVA1 protein in mice, to better understand complex animal vocalizations. While a direct "talking animal" device remains unrealized, animals communicate through diverse vocal and nonvocal signals that humans can often interpret contextually. [Extracted from the article]