# A universal animal communication tempo resonates with the receiver's brain

## TL;DR

This study reveals a common communication tempo among diverse animal species around 0.5-4 Hz, potentially rooted in neural biophysics, supported by meta-analysis and neural circuit modeling.

## Contribution

The paper uncovers a universal communication frequency range in animals and links it to neural biophysical properties, combining empirical observations and theoretical modeling.

## Key findings

- Many species communicate at ~0.5-4 Hz
- Neural circuits are most responsive within this frequency range
- A potential universal basis in neural biophysics

## Abstract

During fieldwork in Thailand we observed nearly identical frequencies of co-located flashing fireflies and chirping crickets. Motivated by this, we perform a meta-analysis and show an abundance of evolutionarily distinct species that communicate isochronously at ~0.5-4 Hz, suggesting that this might be a frequency "hotspot." We hypothesize that this timescale may have a universal basis in the biophysics of the receiver's neurons. We test this by demonstrating that small receiver circuits constructed from elements representing typical neurons will be most responsive in the observed frequency range.