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Science & Technology

Why are our brains shrinking ?

By T.K. Randall
January 4, 2011 · Comment icon 93 comments

Image Credit: Gaetan Lee
Over the last 20,000 years the human brain seems to have been getting smaller, but why ?
For two million years it is believed our brains got increasingly larger but over the last 20,000 years it appears that the opposite has been happening - they've been shrinking instead. Some scientists believe our brains, like new computer chips could be shrinking in size because it is becoming more efficient while others subscribe to the idea that we are actually getting less intelligent. But which is the more likely ?
It's not something we'd like to admit, but it seems the human race may actually be becoming increasingly dumb. Man's brain has been gradually shrinking over the last 20,000 years, according to a new report. This decrease in size follows two million years during which the human cranium steadily grew in size, and it's happened all over the world, to both sexes and every race.


Source: Daily Mail | Comments (93)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #84 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
Wolves, the socalled ancestors of domestic dogs, have 15 percent more brain-volume than our domestic dogs. Domestic dogs live in a safe and sound area with us humans. They get fed every day, and they don't have to fight for food or even try to find it. They are being cared for like substitute human babies. Think about that one. ----- I will make my point more clear.... We humans live within close family bonds. We take care of eachother (well, most of us do). We live in a society... some take care of this part, some others take care of that part, and we have specialized. We do not need to know ... [More]
Comment icon #85 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
Yes. Perhaps we simply don't need all that brain mass anymore beacause we as a species have basically reached the top of the food-chain. Maybe evolution is now 'stream-lining' the brain for optimim efficiency. Hope it works out We now don't need a big brain mass anymore, we evolved into needing eachother. We are growing to become hive beings. Bees, wasps, ants. FYI.. some of the native South American tribes have a name for 'us' whites/Caucasians/Westerners, and it is ANTS. We devoure, we claim, we scream, we take whatever we can find to bring to our 'leader'. In short: we suck, and to them we ... [More]
Comment icon #86 Posted by Artaxerxes 13 years ago
Hunter gatherers had a more nutritious diet than there agricultural descendants. Agriculture actually allowed more humans to survive but they were dependent on a diet that was mostly starch and less protein. People actually "shrank" when they quit their nomadic hunter gatherer lifestyle and started living in towns and became dependent on grains as the main part of their diet.
Comment icon #87 Posted by Cybele 13 years ago
We now don't need a big brain mass anymore, we evolved into needing eachother. We are growing to become hive beings. Bees, wasps, ants. I find this idea very disconcerting. Humans, and our most recent ancestors, have always relied on social groups of a certain size to survive, though, haven't they? Hunter gatherers had a more nutritious diet than there agricultural descendants. Agriculture actually allowed more humans to survive but they were dependent on a diet that was mostly starch and less protein. People actually "shrank" when they quit their nomadic hunter gatherer lifestyle and started ... [More]
Comment icon #88 Posted by TheSearcher 13 years ago
I find this idea very disconcerting. Humans, and our most recent ancestors, have always relied on social groups of a certain size to survive, though, haven't they? Sources? Yes we have relied on social groups of a certain size to survive, but that was rather a "hunting pack mentality" so to speak. Right now the groups have grown and the social behavior within those groups have changed quite a bit. Hence we are developing towards a hive rather than a pack.
Comment icon #89 Posted by kobolds 13 years ago
Maybe intelligence isnt measured on the size of the brain? I hate to admit this but it does make a lot different. a best example is computer hard drive. one disc hard drive compare to 2 disc hard drive using same file system format, tell me which give you more space ? up until now we still unable to understand a lot of how ancient technology works.
Comment icon #90 Posted by ShadowSot 13 years ago
I hate to admit this but it does make a lot different. a best example is computer hard drive. one disc hard drive compare to 2 disc hard drive using same file system format, tell me which give you more space ? Yeah... but what's the difference between a hard drive from late '80's, versus something from today? up until now we still unable to understand a lot of how ancient technology works. There's not been a problem understanding, especially not on the time frame this would be taking place on. We're looking at hunter gather society.
Comment icon #91 Posted by terbo559 13 years ago
Nowadays people be drinking too much beer and alcohol.
Comment icon #92 Posted by SpiderCyde 13 years ago
Uwe Boll films...
Comment icon #93 Posted by Agent. Mulder 13 years ago
Nowadays people be drinking too much beer and alcohol. What does that have to do with it? Drinking doesnt kill brain cells, it can only damage parts, like the ends of the neurons (if memory serves. Pun intended). But, i believe thats usually in mass consumption over time.
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