Despite its small size—it could sit in the palm of your hand—the zebra finch is a remarkable learner. A songbird native to Australia, it's renowned for its ability to pick up new songs. That talent has made it a favorite of scientists studying how animal brains imprint new skills, particularly vocal learning, or the capacity to perfect new sounds. And now researchers at Boston University have discovered another quirk to the zebra finch brain—one that could also have implications for understanding human gray matter.

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