Research using Aborigines makes maths breakthrough (fwd link)

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Research using Aborigines makes maths breakthrough

The Australian
Andrew Trounson | August 19, 2008

BASIC mathematical ability appears to be innate, or hard-wired into the human
brain, according to an international study.

The research found that outback Aboriginal children with only a few number words
in their language can still "count" just as well as English-speaking children.

The results of the joint study by University College London and Melbourne
University, challenges notions that we need language in order to think and
count.

It also suggests that mathematical disabilities such as dyscalculia, the little
known maths version of dyslexia, is a genetic or neurological disorder rather
than a memory or language deficiency.

The results have been published this week in the Washington-based journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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