Sci Adv August 2025 PMID 40802760

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility.

Kun Tan, Kendall Higgins, Qing Liu, Miles F Wilkinson

Mentions

81
Peak: 47 in Aug 2025
across 5 sources since Aug 2025

Extended reach

2,240,247
potential audience

Total likes

2,263

Video views

180,741

Mentions per month

Aug 2025 – Nov 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter41 posts
  • News24 articles
  • Blogs8 articles
  • Bluesky4 posts
  • YouTube4 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Overall, the discussions reflect excitement and support, with examples such as mentions of HAR123's potential for modifying intelligence and its evolutionary significance, highlighting how the language and focused references convey the importance and potential impact of the study.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions express strong support or interest in the findings, viewing them as significant advances in understanding human brain development.

InterestHigh interest

Posts show high curiosity, with many referencing potential implications for intelligence and creativity, indicating active engagement.

EngagementModerate engagement

Users often reference specific details like HAR123's role or the evolutionary aspects, suggesting some depth of analysis.

ImpactModerate impact

The tone implies that this research could be a key breakthrough with broad biological and technological consequences.

Abstract in brief

  • Researchers identified a chromosomal region (17p13.3) linked to neurological development that has evolved since humans and chimpanzees split.
  • A specific 442-nucleotide sequence, HAR123, enhances the formation of neural progenitor cells and shows differences in effects on neural development between humans and chimpanzees.
  • HAR123-knockout mice display cognitive flexibility issues and changes in the neural-glia ratio in the hippocampus, suggesting connections to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Medical Xpress
@medical_xpress · X

#A specific human-accelerated region, HAR123, acts as a transcriptional enhancer influencing neural progenitor cell development and may underlie advanced cognitive flexibility unique to humans. @ucsandiego @ScienceAdvances https://t.co/kiKyCR9zhr https://t.co/D8Kr2JAwrm

Aug 14, 2025 · 23 likes · 13 shares · 172,930 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/uW8lgxp1Qo

Aug 22, 2025 · 14 likes · 7 shares · 29,410 followers View post →
Neuroscience News
@NeuroscienceNew · X

“An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility” by Miles Wilkinson et al. Science Advances https://t.co/M0dgcwJ7cj

Aug 13, 2025 · 10 likes · 1 share · 505,304 followers View post →
Agingdoc
@agingdoc1 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility “The genetic changes driving the evolution of humans since the human-chimpanzee split have been elusive. Here, we report a promising candidate…” https://t.co/A6NlQMRuPa

Aug 14, 2025 · 10 likes · 41,284 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/uW8lgxp1Qo

Aug 15, 2025 · 10 likes · 1 share · 29,410 followers View post →
Dr Singularity
@Dr_Singularity · X

paper https://t.co/XWk4ZbfWGs

Aug 15, 2025 · 9 likes · 2 shares · 41,629 followers View post →

All mentions

Dr. Gennadi Glinsky, MD, Ph.D.
@gglinskii · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/b5YxWnrnKw

Nov 5, 2025 · 2,070 followers View post →
CivilisatioTransform
@CapabilitYes · X

RT @LifeboatHQ: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility https://t.c…

Aug 30, 2025 · 1 share · 241 followers View post →
Yang Xu
@coriana_galesky · X

人為什麼進化成人?442→9→大腦升級 | 雅桑了嗎 https://t.co/JzjiYcntdI 来自 @YouTube

Aug 26, 2025 · 89 followers View post →
Ajai Pathak
@apatk · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 23, 2025 · 7 shares · 649 followers View post →
Pec@
@PecoAz · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 23, 2025 · 7 shares · 13,717 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 23, 2025 · 7 shares · 29,410 followers View post →
CRCpaleos
@CRCpaleos · X

ARTÍCULO REFERENCIA (acceso abierto) An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility https://t.co/i5HA6LDw80 vía @ScienceAdvances https://t.co/LZpcifT3DN

Aug 23, 2025 · 3 likes · 3,115 followers View post →
Miguel Angel Contreras Sieck
@MiguelSieck · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 22, 2025 · 7 shares · 1,570 followers View post →
Siberian fox
@SilverVVulpes · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 22, 2025 · 7 shares · 6,299 followers View post →
Alexander Kruel
@XiXiDu · X

RT @rexjung: (HAR) 123 potential for modification in human intelligence (and perhaps creativity) given its role in "cognitive flexibility a…

Aug 22, 2025 · 1 share · 4,875 followers View post →
Zeke Darwin
@Zeke_Darwin · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 22, 2025 · 7 shares · 2,462 followers View post →
Val Giddings
@prometheusgreen · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 22, 2025 · 7 shares · 5,456 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/uW8lgxp1Qo

Aug 22, 2025 · 14 likes · 7 shares · 29,410 followers View post →
Lifeboat Foundation
@LifeboatHQ · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility https://t.co/lNqb8WXYJs

Aug 22, 2025 · 1 like · 1 share · 31,623 followers View post →
Rex Jung
@rexjung · X

(HAR) 123 potential for modification in human intelligence (and perhaps creativity) given its role in "cognitive flexibility and a shift in neural-glia ratio(s)" - study in mice embryos and cell cultures though...: https://t.co/rFUdwkoaHF

Aug 21, 2025 · 3 likes · 1 share · 1,511 followers View post →
Emerald Perlas
@emeraldaperlas.bsky.social · Bluesky

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Aug 20, 2025 View post →
MU-Peter Shimon
@mu-peter.bsky.social · Bluesky

A genetic region, HAR123, may help explain what makes the human brain unique. An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility

Aug 18, 2025 · 4 likes · 2 shares View post →
Sara Nicolau
@SaraSnicolau · X

RT @social_brains: Scientists may have found the genetic mutation that led humans to have bigger brains. If it can be modulated that would…

Aug 17, 2025 · 2 shares · 2,673 followers View post →
Reinis Lazda
@ReinisLazda · X

RT @social_brains: Scientists may have found the genetic mutation that led humans to have bigger brains. If it can be modulated that would…

Aug 17, 2025 · 2 shares · 1,893 followers View post →
Stephen Pimentel
@StephenPiment · X

https://t.co/OMKDiKdyrx

Aug 17, 2025 · 12,651 followers View post →
Matt Lieberman
@social_brains · X

Scientists may have found the genetic mutation that led humans to have bigger brains. If it can be modulated that would have huge consequences for the future. https://t.co/CErENB1uU4

Aug 17, 2025 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 30,292 followers View post →
BreakthroughMedicine&AdvancedResearchTools
@JayChance12 · X

RT @Dr_Singularity: paper https://t.co/XWk4ZbfWGs

Aug 17, 2025 · 2 shares · 620 followers View post →
な bot
@NeuroNNNNN_bot · X

[Sci. Adv.] An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility https://t.co/SwDokfYfEr

Aug 16, 2025 · 26 followers View post →
Miguel Angel Contreras Sieck
@MiguelSieck · X

https://t.co/y9xPa2WkWo

Aug 16, 2025 · 1,570 followers View post →
Tip News
@TipNewsHeadline · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility (Science) https://t.co/5ddJeME7MU

Aug 16, 2025 · 64 followers View post →
Ordo Fraterna Fibonacci
@OrdoFibonacci · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility Science Advances https://t.co/kzboyMW1kY

Aug 16, 2025 · 2,569 followers View post →
Ordo Fraterna Fibonacci
@ordofibonacci.bsky.social · Bluesky

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Aug 16, 2025 View post →
Ralph Cerchione
@Dry_Observer · X

RT @Dr_Singularity: paper https://t.co/XWk4ZbfWGs

Aug 15, 2025 · 2 shares · 9,084 followers View post →
Javi Ciborro
@papayaykware · X

https://t.co/Q8OFSXTrUo

Aug 15, 2025 · 8,042 followers View post →
Dr Singularity
@Dr_Singularity · X

paper https://t.co/XWk4ZbfWGs

Aug 15, 2025 · 9 likes · 2 shares · 41,629 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

RT @ChrisStringer65: An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Scie…

Aug 15, 2025 · 1 share · 29,410 followers View post →
Komolafe John
@JohnnyKomolafe · X

RT @NeuroscienceNew: “An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility” by M…

Aug 15, 2025 · 1 share · 329 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/uW8lgxp1Qo

Aug 15, 2025 · 10 likes · 1 share · 29,410 followers View post →
Dr. Gennadi Glinsky, MD, Ph.D.
@gglinskii · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/3pGFKhv2pT

Aug 15, 2025 · 2,065 followers View post →
Agingdoc
@agingdoc1 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility “The genetic changes driving the evolution of humans since the human-chimpanzee split have been elusive. Here, we report a promising candidate…” https://t.co/A6NlQMRuPa

Aug 14, 2025 · 10 likes · 41,284 followers View post →
autisme info
@AutismeInfo · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility https://t.co/160Ge6oaB3

Aug 14, 2025 · 7,666 followers View post →
DR. Rich Miglecz
@MigleczRich · X

RT @medical_xpress: #A specific human-accelerated region, HAR123, acts as a transcriptional enhancer influencing neural progenitor cell dev…

Aug 14, 2025 · 13 shares · 1,191 followers View post →
EzTreez
@EzTreez · X

RT @medical_xpress: #A specific human-accelerated region, HAR123, acts as a transcriptional enhancer influencing neural progenitor cell dev…

Aug 14, 2025 · 13 shares · 440 followers View post →
Medical Xpress
@medical_xpress · X

#A specific human-accelerated region, HAR123, acts as a transcriptional enhancer influencing neural progenitor cell development and may underlie advanced cognitive flexibility unique to humans. @ucsandiego @ScienceAdvances https://t.co/kiKyCR9zhr https://t.co/D8Kr2JAwrm

Aug 14, 2025 · 23 likes · 13 shares · 172,930 followers View post →
Phys.org
@physorg_com · X

RT @medical_xpress: #A specific human-accelerated region, HAR123, acts as a transcriptional enhancer influencing neural progenitor cell dev…

Aug 14, 2025 · 13 shares · 1,024,127 followers View post →
Javier DN
@javierdn.bsky.social · Bluesky

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility. While present in all mammals, HAR123 has rapidly evolved since humans diverged from chimpanzees. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Aug 14, 2025 View post →
Ⓓ Ⓒ Ⓝ ㋡ ≡ ∀ ≡
@DCNChannel · X

Твит с неудавшимся комментарием не ушёл может и к лучшему там просто ссылку https://t.co/t3vdbbN6js

Aug 14, 2025 · 566 followers View post →
Dr Anthony Martin
@AMAinsight · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/YDYa9gW2q1

Aug 13, 2025 · 915 followers View post →
Neuroscience News
@NeuroscienceNew · X

“An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility” by Miles Wilkinson et al. Science Advances https://t.co/M0dgcwJ7cj

Aug 13, 2025 · 10 likes · 1 share · 505,304 followers View post →
Kun Tan
@KunTan534067 · X

An ancient enhancer rapidly evolving in the human lineage promotes neural development and cognitive flexibility | Science Advances https://t.co/wKTgHYOkOQ

Aug 13, 2025 View post →