Parenthood in early infancy is equal parts tedium and astonishment. The trick is telling the two apart. This is harder than you might think. Pointing, for example, is not an obviously astonishing act.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Pointing makes kids believe you. And it may convey an air of authority to adults, too. That's the ...

Five years ago cognitive scientist Rafael Núñez found himself in the Upper Yupno Valley, a remote, mountainous region of Papua New Guinea. The area is home to some 5,000 indigenous people, and Núñez ...