Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: IsabelleGirard on 12/03/2009 10:30:01

Title: How does brain size relate to body size?
Post by: IsabelleGirard on 12/03/2009 10:30:01

IsabelleGirard asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I've long wondered about the brain size / body size comparisons.  Given
that neurons can't increase in size and still function, wouldn't elephants and whale have thousands or millions more neurons in their huge brains than humans?  

Does it make any difference how big one's body is for estimating brain power?

Isn't that saying that hugely obese people are less intelligent?  

I assume no one has counted the number of neurons in a whale's brain, but how many more might one have based on maximum size per neuron and the size of its noggin?

What do you think?

Title: How does brain size relate to body size?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 12/03/2009 20:58:04

A humpback whale's brain is 2.5 times the size of a human brain and an elephant's is only slightly less.

We can't even decide on a good definition of intelligence (there have been many) or how to measure it in humans so how could we say how intelligent animals are?

Here is an article (http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Int3.html) you may find interesting.