Scientists have sequenced the genome of the blue-fronted Amazon parrot, unveiling new insights into longevity and highly developed cognitive abilities that give the talkative birds so much in common with humans.
The first comparative study of parrot genome by researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. will also provide clues about how parrots learn to vocalise so well.
The genes associated with longevity include telomerase, responsible for DNA repair of telomeres (the ends of chromosomes), which are known to shorten with age.
