PALO ALTO, CA – A groundbreaking new report published today confirms that the human race has officially maxed out its communication capabilities, evolving from the first telephone call to ubiquitous videoconferencing in just over 100 years. Researchers suggest that while the technology has advanced dramatically, the core function has simply become more efficient at facilitating awkward silences and pixelated arguments.

“We started with two cans and a string, then a wire, then radio waves, and now we’re just beaming our faces directly into each other’s living rooms,” stated Dr. Evelyn Hayes, lead author of the study from the Institute for Redundant Progress. “The data clearly shows that we’ve perfected the art of being simultaneously present and utterly disengaged. What’s next, telepathic eye-rolls?”

The study, which analyzed billions of hours of digital interactions, concluded that the primary beneficiaries of this communication leap are pets who now enjoy a constant stream of human faces to ignore, and background noise generators for those who need to simulate an office environment. “We’ve gone from ‘Can you hear me now?’ to ‘You’re on mute!’ in record time,” added Dr. Hayes, noting that the next frontier might involve technology that automatically mutes anyone speaking over someone else.

Industry analysts are already speculating on the next phase, with some suggesting a return to carrier pigeons for their superior battery life and resistance to buffering issues.