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| Our Brain |
This may not be pleasant news, but the facts show, the human brain smaller. The results reveal brain size and a gradual shrinkage over 20,000 years. This decline occurred in the whole world, applies to men and women, in all races.
"Over the last 20,000 years, the volume average male brain is reduced from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1350 cubic centimeters, the number of lost-sized tennis ball," said Kathleen McAuliffe, a writer at Discover Magazine. "The brain is also shrinking woman with the same proportion," he added.
Whether the smaller size means that the human brain more stupid?
Dr John Hawks, an anthropologist from the University of Wisconsin argue, that the smaller brain size does not mean lower intelligence. On the contrary, decreased brain size we show that we are getting smarter.
Brain, using up to 20 percent of all the fuel we consume. Therefore, a larger brain would require more energy and takes longer to develop.
Dr. Hawks noted that the explosion of human population between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago lead to beneficial mutations. Hawks confident, it causes the brain to become leaner, more and neurochemical changes in our brain capacity.
Some paleontologists have also agreed with the opinion of the Hawks, that the size of the smaller, even more efficient. However, not all scientists believe the same opinion.Some believe that human beings become more and more stupid, in line with the evolutionary process.
Some of the theories used to explain the mysteries of the human brain peyusutan.One of them, that a large head size early humans needed the Upper Paleolithic era to survive the cold air.
The second theory, the size of head related to the foraging patterns of the past, namely hunting. The more easily find food, a human head will stop growing.
Meanwhile, other experts argue, long time ago when the high infant mortality rates, only the strongest surviving infant and the most powerful are those that have a large head and brain. Now, with the decline in infant mortality, promote a decrease in brain size in proportion.
According to research by David Geary and Drew Bailey of the University of Missouri to explore how the human skull size changed when humans adapt in an increasingly complex social environment between 1.9 million to 10,000 years ago.
They found, at low population density, skull size increases. Conversely, when the population of certain regions changed from rare to dense, we decreased the size of the skull, because people do not have to be smart to survive.
But Dr Geary warned, do not necessarily think that the ancestors of humans are more intelligent than us.
"Our ancestors did not have the intellect and creativity like modern humans, because they do not have the support of culture," he said. At that time, man squeezed his mind to survive.
Increased agriculture and modern cities based on economic specialization enables intelligent humans focus their efforts on science, art, or other fields.
"Over the last 20,000 years, the volume average male brain is reduced from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1350 cubic centimeters, the number of lost-sized tennis ball," said Kathleen McAuliffe, a writer at Discover Magazine. "The brain is also shrinking woman with the same proportion," he added.
Whether the smaller size means that the human brain more stupid?
Dr John Hawks, an anthropologist from the University of Wisconsin argue, that the smaller brain size does not mean lower intelligence. On the contrary, decreased brain size we show that we are getting smarter.
Brain, using up to 20 percent of all the fuel we consume. Therefore, a larger brain would require more energy and takes longer to develop.
Dr. Hawks noted that the explosion of human population between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago lead to beneficial mutations. Hawks confident, it causes the brain to become leaner, more and neurochemical changes in our brain capacity.
Some paleontologists have also agreed with the opinion of the Hawks, that the size of the smaller, even more efficient. However, not all scientists believe the same opinion.Some believe that human beings become more and more stupid, in line with the evolutionary process.
Some of the theories used to explain the mysteries of the human brain peyusutan.One of them, that a large head size early humans needed the Upper Paleolithic era to survive the cold air.
The second theory, the size of head related to the foraging patterns of the past, namely hunting. The more easily find food, a human head will stop growing.
Meanwhile, other experts argue, long time ago when the high infant mortality rates, only the strongest surviving infant and the most powerful are those that have a large head and brain. Now, with the decline in infant mortality, promote a decrease in brain size in proportion.
According to research by David Geary and Drew Bailey of the University of Missouri to explore how the human skull size changed when humans adapt in an increasingly complex social environment between 1.9 million to 10,000 years ago.
They found, at low population density, skull size increases. Conversely, when the population of certain regions changed from rare to dense, we decreased the size of the skull, because people do not have to be smart to survive.
But Dr Geary warned, do not necessarily think that the ancestors of humans are more intelligent than us.
"Our ancestors did not have the intellect and creativity like modern humans, because they do not have the support of culture," he said. At that time, man squeezed his mind to survive.
Increased agriculture and modern cities based on economic specialization enables intelligent humans focus their efforts on science, art, or other fields.
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