Our unparalleled capacity for complex speech and language is one of the most intriguing but elusive aspects of being human. It has long been suspected that answers to this enigma may be buried in the genome. Scientists are uncovering critical genes, and using them as molecular windows into key neural pathways. A prime example is FOXP2, a regulatory gene that mediates the plasticity of certain brain circuits. This work provides unique bridges between genes, neurons, brains and spoken language.