This report from Science Daily describes the discovery of a correlation between the size of “Heschl’s Gyrus” in the brain and the ability to learn foreign languages. It also mentions an intriguing study that found that musical training started at an early age contributed to more successful spoken foreign language learning.

I have been pushing the idea that learning abstract math requires (among other things) learning a foreign language. So, I wonder, does the size of Heschl’s Gyrus correlated with ability at higher math? Also, the study about musical training suggests a reason for the commonly noted tendency for mathematicians to be musical, but I suppose that idea is pretty longshottish.

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