Brain size 'not key to intellect'

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Size may not be everything when it comes to brain evolution, say experts.

Instead, UK research reveals that the rising complexity of connections between brain cells may have been the biggest driving force.

The Nature Neuroscience study found clear differences between brain junctions in mammals, insects and single cell creatures.

Changes around half a billion years ago, they said, are likely to have been more important than brain size.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7443534.stm

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It looked closely at the synapse, the junction between nervous system cells, in three different types of creature, single-celled yeast, the fruit fly, and the mouse, all of which represent three distinct stages in the evolution of life on Earth.

Appears to be the proof that you've currently got Yeast running the USA.

[Hissyspit]

1. Hmm. I figured that out a long time ago.

Just looking at the intelligences and behaviors of animals.

[AngryAmish]

2. I think humans have something like 40% of the same DNA as yeast

So a similar number.

[Nihil]

5. Some humans have something like 40% of the IQ of yeast too ...

... then they get together and elect a matching president to rule
for 8 years!
:P

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. How is the single celled yeast relevant to this?

With no synapses at all, the fact that it has few of the proteins found in synapses of other creatures is hardly surprising, I'd say.

[bemildred]

10. This guy isn't too good with logic and reasoning from what I can tell.

Not enough of those special proteins is my guess. If he was being rigorous, he'd have to say that with insects you already have almost half the synapse proteins found in humans. There is nothing strange in yeast having a few precursors that turned out to be useful in synapses, once you have synapses, but there is no "explosion" in going from no brain to a brain and finding you have a bunch of new stuff.

[lonestarnot]

4. A yeast infection.

ackety!

[Indenturedebtor]

6. Sheez no offense to the OP but this kinda "study" drives me crazy

This is Psychology 101... seriously you learn this in college intro, somewhere right after you get the syllabus.

But then again it sounds like they looked at synapses, etc so new study blah blah. I just hate how the media dumbs everything down and 30 years after something is discovered they present it as groudbreaking work!

[enlightenment]

7. Thanks, buddy.

Do you know how long it takes to get coffee out of a keyboard?

That last line is classic!:rofl:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

8. It's not how big it is- it's what you can do with it.

...Oh, wait- I think that's supposed to be about something else...

:evilgrin:

[Samantha]

9. It might be more accurate to say we have a yeast infection

currently running the Country. So ... I could go with your last sentence if you just add that one word ... infection. That pretty well sums Bush* up.

Sam

[tkmorris]

11. We should send tubes of Monistat 7 to the White House

One week to FREEDOM!