For a long time, we assumed that the best coders were math or engineering geniuses and that you could only code if you were proficient in one of those fields. Being a skilled mathematician turns out to be a non-essential skill for coders. The greatest coders were good at acquiring languages, according to a study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports.

The modest study, which included 36 adults, followed them as they learned Python while taking a battery of tests to assess their problem-solving and memory recall abilities. The findings revealed that those who learned Python the fastest and most accurately had high language skills, as well as good working memory and reasoning skills (all part of learning a language). It didn’t matter if they were good at arithmetic or not.

Because most programming courses are taught in engineering or computer science departments, where math skills are required, these findings have far-reaching ramifications. It’s possible that people who are best prepared to excel at coding – such as humanities students with strong language abilities – will be excluded from STEM programs and a lucrative job in coding.

What exactly does this imply? Learning to code is said to be similar to learning a new language like French or Japanese, so even if you despise math, coding may not be out of your reach just yet.