Here is a simple story about the origins of the human brain: All primate brains are good at packing neurons into a small space—they are neural supercomputers. The human brain is just what you’d expect from a monkey of our size: big, packed with neurons, but no more special than that. It's the chimps and gorillas who are special: without cooked food, their brains stay oddly small.
Or so argues Suzana Herculano-Houzel, my guest in last week's episode.
In today's episode, paleo-neurologist Dean Falk argues that the story is stranger still.
I'll let her tell you why.
Enjoy!
DIG DEEPER
This episode is part 2 of this autumn's brain science series. See more
at OnHumans.Substack.com/Brain
See also last spring's episode with Dean Falk on toolmaking and childhoods, as part of the Origins of Humankind -series.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
OnHumans.Patreon.com
MENTIONS AND KEYWORDS
Scholars
Charles Darwin | Dietrich Stout | Robin Dunbar | Katarina Semenderfi | Weiwei Men | Joseph Ledoux | Jane Goodall
Technical terms
Endocasts | Sulci and gyri | Broca's area | Brodmann Area 10, also known as BA10 and the frontal pole | Acheulean hand axe technology
Keywords
Brain science | Neuroscience | Neurology | Paleoneurology | Evolutionary Anthropology | Comparative Anatomy | Cognitive Archaeology | Origins of Consciousness
