New study suggests human brains didn't evolve to their level due to learning cooking

[Nessus]

Spoiler:

Energetics and the evolution of human brain size

The human brain stands out among mammals by being unusually large. The expensive-tissue hypothesis¹ explains its evolution by proposing a trade-off between the size of the brain and that of the digestive tract, which is smaller than expected for a primate of our body size. Although this hypothesis is widely accepted, empirical support so far has been equivocal. Here we test it in a sample of 100 mammalian species, including 23 primates, by analysing brain size and organ mass data. We found that, controlling for fat-free body mass, brain size is not negatively correlated with the mass of the digestive tract or any other expensive organ, thus refuting the expensive-tissue hypothesis. Nonetheless, consistent with the existence of energy trade-offs with brain size, we find that the size of brains and adipose depots are negatively correlated in mammals, indicating that encephalization and fat storage are compensatory strategies to buffer against starvation. However, these two strategies can be combined if fat storage does not unduly hamper locomotor efficiency. We propose that human encephalization was made possible by a combination of stabilization of energy inputs and a redirection of energy from locomotion, growth and reproduction.

A new study in Nature finds that the earlier theory of why human brains evolved into the logical thinking engines (LOL) that we have today might not be up to snuff. Essentially, it was thought that we could afford to grow bigger, better brains by sacrificing some of our digestive ability, which was helped along by discovering preparation of food that aids in digestion. In a study of extant (I assume) animals, they found that brain size and gut size didn't really talk to one another.

I didn't have time to look at this at work so I can't comment on the full article right now, but I think it's interesting!

[Loki]

Any particular reason why this is viewed as "science" while the social sciences are not? They seem to be using pretty similar methods and their core concepts have similar problems with being measured/observed.

[Nessus]

Oh dear

[Loki]

I'm just interested as to why people are willing to accept these concepts from evolutionary biology, when they're also dealing with social beings, look at unobserved concepts, and generally use observational data instead of experiments (which can't be well-reproduced either).

[Nessus]

You're a scientist, how about doing a study?

[Aimless]

From the outside much of this looks like, er, silliness. Entertaining silliness however

Looking over this, an important accelerator of encephalisation should be... encephalisation.

I get the impression something may have been lost in translation:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2744104

[Nessus]

From the outside much of this looks like, er, silliness. Entertaining silliness however

That's our Nature!

[Loki]

Just noticed that this is social science: the lead author is an anthropologist.

[Nessus]

What fields did the reviewers represent, I wonder.

[Aimless]

Sigh, reviewers

[Loki]

I don't want to derail the thread, but this is perhaps the best review of a book ever written: http://www.springerlink.com/content/993887380658p195/

[coinich]

Now thats just precious.

[EmperorNorton]

We're going off the rails on this crazy train...

[Draco]

A new study in Nature finds that the earlier theory of why human brains evolved into the logical thinking engines (LOL) that we have today might not be up to snuff.

And what's so funny about associating humans as being logical? You don't see apes going about in the world, creating science, technology, medicine, music and the likes.

[GGT]

Planet of the Apes! Might be one of the most under-rated or un-appreciated human literature / cinematic endeavors of modern time?

[Draco]

LOL! That was funny

[Aimless]

And what's so funny about associating humans as being logical? You don't see apes going about in the world, creating science, technology, medicine, music and the likes.

Just a small reminder that we aren't always as awesomely logical as we usually imagine ourselves to be.

[Crowheart]

And what's so funny about associating humans as being logical? You don't see apes going about in the world, creating science, technology, medicine, music and the likes.

A single episode of Jersey Shore should prove that gap between ape and human isn't as large as we might wish.

[termite]

That must be why my wife is so smart, she can't cook for shit...

[Draco]

A single episode of Jersey Shore should prove that gap between ape and human isn't as large as we might wish.

lol! I had the misfortune of watching an episode of that show

[rumrunner]

And what's so funny about associating humans as being logical? You don't see apes going about in the world, creating science, technology, medicine, music and the likes.

Or the perfect omelet

[CitizenCain]

And what's so funny about associating humans as being logical? You don't see apes going about in the world, creating science, technology, medicine, music and the likes.

By the same token, I can prove that ~85% of humans are no smarter than an ape, statistically speaking. We have a very high opinion of ourselves as a species, but it's not a factually supported one.

[rumrunner]

It's in the application of our reasoning abilities that we believe ourselves superior to all other species.